So Beat It, Just Beat It!

They Told Him Don’t You Ever Come Around Here
So To Day, I decided it was time to start blogging again.  I know, I know you’re really relieved.  What changed my mind?  I think I turned a corner.  A while back I was going through a lot of grief with my family and I think I just really worked myself through all that emotional crap.  I moved out of my DS’s house.  That was a pretty unpleasant experience.  But I made it though it and it even looks right now like I’m going to make it to the other side.  Well let’s hope so. 

Don’t Wanna See Your Face, You Better Disappear
The most recent news that’s been happening to me of late is that my Dad, you know my Dad with

Dad can't sit up. DB is supporting Dad with his Body. While DS is taking Dad's temp.

Alzheimer’s Disorder (AD) is back in the hospital with pneumonia and a very bad UTI.  Of course UTI are known to make senior citizen’s very disoriented and appear really out of it.  Dad was all of these things.  But with a few days of antibiotics, he was back to his old self.  Now he’s keeping the staff at the hospital busy chasing him around all night until of course he is moved to a nursing home.   Which should happen in a day or two.  We’re all torn up about the decision, especially my DS, who is charged with the care of dad.  But it truly is time.  The family has gotten to a point where they cannot function and take care of Dad as well.  Mostly because we need to sleep at night and we not addicted to dysfunctional behavior.  At least not all of us.  But that’s another blog, as they say. 

The Fire’s In Their Eyes And Their Words Are Really Clear
We’re all worried about how Dad will take the move.  Dad is nearly at a place where he won’t notice.  Where he currently lives most of the time he is in a dream world; where occasionally we the members of our family step in and out of the dream where Dad lives.  Dad sees people who aren’t there, he’ll tap you on the shoulder half expecting his hand to go right through you, like the midst he’s living in currently.  When you acknowledge his touch, Dad will smile with a surprised laugh.    And then he’ll start talking to someone who is not there.  It’s sad really, Dad can be so animated, that it’s hard to believe he is so ill.  But we know that he is very ill with AD.  And we all pray, in our own way, that the cure for AD is right around the corner.  Deep Breath…

So Beat It, Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
So tomorrow this time, there is a really good chance that Dad will be placed in a nursing home (Hopefully, not too far from where I live ((fingers crossed))).   So be a dear and keep your fingers crossed for our family that we make it through this next very painful step we’re in the midst of taking.  A few prayers would be welcomed as well. 

You Better Run, You Better Do What You Can
What’s been going on with me?  Well, glad you asked.  I’ve been working in a call center in the evenings.  It’s a nice job if you’re not looking for a challenge.  Truthfully, I’m just happy to be working!!!!  I’ve made a few good friends where I work.  The things that connect us are, our ages, our trials, and our tribulations.  We hang out at break time.  Just a short fifteen minute break.  Where we bring a snack, and share a few insights, laugh at each other and what not.  We’re all women between the ages of 50 and 65 years of age.  And there’s one guy in the same age group whom I’ve decided is studying us for a new docudrama he’s dreaming up.  He finds the way we relate to each other interesting.  huh.  That’s a new one.  Most times, middle age women just fade into the wood work.  So we’re all very amused with our audience. 

Don’t Wanna See No Blood, Don’t Be A Macho Man
Where  I work, most of the call center floor is filled with kids between ages 17 and 25 years of age.  My group of friends are dinosaurs compared to these kids.  But like cream, we all rose to the top of the call center numbers, and we dominate the top numbers.  All of us in my group we’re caught off guard by our current “recession/depression” depending on how you see it.  We all have carried respectable jobs in real industries in the past and find ourselves irreverent to the current job market.  So now we’re all working in the call center industry currently until the job market opens up again

You Wanna Be Tough, Better Do What You Can
What will I do next?  I dunno, but if there’s an open position for beach bum, I’m all over it!!    But I’ll probably go back to being a program manager for a local company in Kennedy Space Center, if I’m lucky.   What happened to my nursing dreams?  Well, I started working in a corporation again, and I’m reminded how much I loved my old job of Marketing Program Manager.  I think I’ll expand my skill set to include engineering program management by taking some new classes.  And I think I’ll return to my first love.  At least for the time being until the world ends in 2012.  (That’s a joke, don’t cha know.)  No, the worlds not going to end in 2012, but the polar axis just might shift.  We’ll see if there is any significance to that date at all.  Mother Earth is going through a change and it won’t hurt if you are prepared for a change of surroundings. 

So Beat It, But You Wanna Be Bad
There is sooo much I want to share with you about what’s been going on in my life.  So many words, so little time.  I promise to fill you in as we move through time.  Wishing you well on your journey. 

Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin’ How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Right
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It

Many Thanks to MJ for the use of his lyrics to “Beat It“.

Brahms’ lullaby

Lullaby and good night, with roses bedight
Hi!  I’ve been away for awhile.  Life was just turned up to TURBO speed where my Father with Alzheimer’s Disorder (AD)  is concerned.  I hardly have the time to write any longer.  But I’m fiercely determined to continue blogging.  So where I can sneak in a minute or two, I’ll do so and we’ll see where it takes me. 

With lilies o’er spread is baby’s wee bed
Dad is napping right now.  He’s worn out because he was busy keeping every one awake all last night, wandering around the house asking where the bathroom might be.  I’m only letting him take a quick, short, 30 minute nap so he will still sleep tonight.  Just enough to refresh him.  I’m a big believer in naps, as I try to take one short nap every day in the afternoon.  I must say it does wonderful things for me. 

Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed
Recently I’ve moved out of my DS’s house and into my own apartment.  It’s quite a wonderful feeling having my own place again.  No kids, no husbands to serve.  I’m really lovin it!  Sorry all you jealous women out there.  Of course I do take care of my Dad eight (8) hours a day, 4 days a week.  That is quite the challenge.  But it gives DS some space to do her job and keep her business running. 

Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed
Just to recap, Dad is working through both Prostrate Cancer and AD right now.  Dad has probably had AD for at least 10 years now and we’re guessing that he’s just entering into stage 2 of the disease.    My DS is my father’s official caretaker, I’m just a sister who’s here to help her, the primary caretaker.  We’re very fortunate because Dad has remained quite functional these last ten years.  As a hospice volunteer, I’ve seen people with AD that couldn’t speak, walk or even feed themselves from the very first onset of the disease.  Dad is quite functional.  Only his memory has betrayed him so far. 

Lullaby and good night, thy mother’s delight
Lately, Dad’s Prostrate issues have caused him some pain.  He was in the hospital overnight because he couldn’t urinate (pee) because his prostrate was enlarged.  The Urologiest taught me how to catherize my Dad to help him relieve himself.  I don’t mind doing it because I’ve been considering going back to school to become an RN for a while now.  So Dad requires this procedure three (3) times a day.  Which he never remembers me doing (gratefully).   Well my brake is over, so I’ve got to go.  Until tomorrow!

 

Many Thanks to Brahm’s for the beautiful lullaby

Family Trees

One of Mom’s greatest passions before she died was researching the Family Tree.  She put a lot of work into this research and generated one large five inch binder for each of her children.  Packed full of birth and death certificates and related details going back until the 1600s.  For the rest of our family, Mom put all the details into a CD ROM.  One of my uncles picked up Mom’s project after she passed on, determined to complete it. 

The most interesting thing you learn from reading about how relatives died for two or three generations.  Is how riddled with Diabetes our family has been.  Most of the deaths of my grandparents, great-grandparents was related to diabetes (untreated).  I say untreated because it wasn’t until in recent years that the health community has taken a pro-active stance in diagnosing and treating diabetes.  My relatives that died of diabetes related deaths were never diagnosed as being diabetics. 

There is type one diabetes and type two diabetes; Type three diabetes is now called Alzheimer’s.  Sad, very, very sad.

In my humble opinion, the world, the science community as we know, has discovered only the tip of the ice berg where diabetes is concerned.  The treatment has much to be desired. 

Another little known fact, did you know that often when people have the upper part of their colons removed – their diabetes disappears completely??  Doctors discovered this by accident. 

Any way, back to the family tree.  Mom discovered all kinds of interesting details when she researched the family tree.  She learned that we’re related to Daniel Boone and Mark Twain.  My father’s mother’s family also settled Montgomery, Alabama. 

The information about Montgomery Alabama brings up all kinds of questions.

Before we knew this fact we assumed that everyone in the family had fought on the northern side.  But now we knew that we fought on both sides of the civil war. 

Anyway, as you can see, a lot of interesting details can be learned about your family by researching the Family Tree.