Residential and commercial properties in Georgia [sponsored post]

I have a friend in Georgia, the girl me and my friend from California stayed with when I went down there for the Keith Urban concert back in October, and she has been looking all around for a new place to move to. Seems like she's moving every few months and really wants to find some place that she can move to permanently. So this one's for you M.

Check out the listings for real estate in Doraville at Reality 1st. You will have to create an account and log in to search for things, but they seem to cover everything from Atlanta to Doraville to where you lived at before in Cumming. (Kevin got a big kick out of seeing that Georgia has a Roswell, and says the next time we're down there you have to take me and him out to see Roswell. ;-) )

The site lets you search by city or county, and by the type of home you're looking for (number of bedrooms, baths, single or multi family, and even lots - good since I know you were talking about wanting to build your own house on that one you showed me and V last October.

Okay, M. and her house hunting aside, this post is sponsored by the PPP advertiser Reality 1st. They are a family owned business that believes in providing a satisfactory experience to their clients in the Georgia real estate market. If you are thinking about buying a home in any of the lovely towns or cities in Georgia, take a look at the Reality 1st website and explore some of the residential and commercial properties they have to offer.

This post was sponsored by
the PPP advertiser Reality 1st

I'm looking for caregivers with blogs

I'm looking for caregivers that keep blogs that I can trade links with. I want to be able to offer caregivers a wide range of blogs they can read from so that they can find others that are facing situations similar to their own, rather it is caring for an Alzheimer's patient, a stroke patient, someone that has a handicap, an elderly relative or spouse, or any other reason for being a caregiver.

Please note that I am not limiting this to just family caring for the elderly, this includes grandparents caring for grandchildren, spouses caring for their spouse, elderly caring for siblings, parents of handicapped children, and neighbors or long distance caregivers.

I want to create a page at my Family Caregiver Information website for caregivers to find others with similar situations that keep blogs talking about what they are facing - kind of a modern age support groups / pen pals listing.

And would anyone be interested in a pan pals listing? I could set up a page there for pen pals too if anyone is interested in that. Just let me know.

Pets are family too

I was sitting here last night trying to type on the computer and here comes Shadowcat. Shady is my dad's cat, a little grey kitten that my mom got from my brother and gave to my dad. Which is really weird since mom has always hated cats. Shady has an eye infection at the moment, which I am trying to take care of, and he stayed outside too long (is a indoors only cat now) and got frostbite on one ear. So now he is a little gremlin looking gray fur ball with one pointed ear and one rounded ear.

He is full of energy, though, and gives Harry and Ghingis Kahn both a good workout trying to keep up with him. (Harry being my Siamese and Ghingis Kahn my mom's Shih Tzu.)

Sitting trying to type with little gray paws snaking up to grasp my hands makes me think about the other animals I have had. It seems like a part of having animals is having to take care of sick animals. Whether it is a dog with cancer or a badly infected tooth, a cat with an eye infection, a horse that has injured its legs in barbed wire, or any of a million other things that happen to them.

There has often been times when I had wished that I could get something like pet insurance. In fact, you can, whether you need horse insurance or insurance for your dog or cat. You might wonder why anyone would want to get insurance for their pet, but there are a lot of reasons. Whether it is because the animal is valuable (such as a prized rodeo or race horse, maybe a show dog or rare breed of cat), or just a loved family pet that you want to give the best of everything you can.

I had a Chihuahua that lived to be almost 20 years old and a Springer Spaniel that lived to be 18 and a mixed Mini-Poodle/Dauxie that lives to be around 16 - pets become a part of our lives and a large part of our families. So why treat them any different from a member of the family?

This post is paid for by the PPP advertiser
Stoneways Insurance Services

I've been working on the Family CARE website

I'm in the process of trying to catch up with all my websites, and the site that is up on that list at the moment is Family Caregiver Info., the site that this blog is to be the official blog for.

I'm working on getting more about the caregiver bills that are stuck in congress up there, such as H.R. 175. I also want to set up an area for discussing caregiver burnout, some kind of resource support area.

I also want to set up a scrap booking area. A friend of mine has suggested that I look at virtual scrapbooking and I have been thinking that the family caregiver site might be the best place for that.

Global Leadership Adventures: volunteer in South Africa, Brazil or Costa Rica [paid post]

With my friend planning to go off to college in Australia, it makes me even more aware of the opportunities for students, primarily high school students, to volunteer in other countries.

Volunteering abroad can even help give the high school student an edge in the competitive college applications process.

One option for volunteering for top students is to enroll with Global Leadership Adventures, which can help them to volunteer in South Africa, Brazil or Costa Rica. Such things can produce life-changing experiences for the students that while Global Leadership Adventures suggests students write about in their college essays to help set them apart from other students, I think more importantly would provide the students with a genuine understanding of how others in the world live and would give them potential changes in their values and world perception that will serve them well beyond their college years into their futures.

I envy my friend that is looking to finish her college life in Australia, it is something that will give her a lifetime of memories and let her develop as a person well beyond anything else she might experience. The same possibilities await student volunteers as they participate in programs that help them make a difference in the lives of others around the world.

This post was a paid post for the PPP
advertiser Global Leadership Adventures

Medications list for the doctors

My mom was telling me that yet another doctor was impressed by the medications readout that I sent for my dad. It seems like none of them ever seen such a thing and this last guy assumed that we had some sort of service make it up for us.

It is a simple enough thing to make up, and can be made in whatever style seems to work best for you based on your care recipients medications and needs for the list. I can use this not only to let the doctors know what he's taking, but to confirm I am giving medications at the right times and to leave with someone that might have to oversee his medicine for a brief time.

All it is is a simple Word document that I can print out that lists my dad's medications and brief information on him. For example:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name
DOB: month day, year of birth

Medication List - with time and dosage

Morning 11 am ..................................... afternoon 1 pm
medication taken....................medication taken

Dinner 7 pm .................................. bedtime 11 pm
medication taken....................medication taken

Medications that are taken as needed:
List of those medications
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alphabetized Medications:
List of all medication taken presented alphabetically including dosage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Notes: if any


(the morning afteroon etc is in a table, but I can't get tables to work in this post. That is the pills taken at them times)

Taxes for caregivers?

I'm looking for information on taxes for caregivers, but not finding much luck. Anyone know where there might be any good resources that I might try? I tried the IRS website, but didn't find anything there. So I'm not sure where to look and am sure I overlooked something at IRS. Will need to call them I guess.

Prada Sunglasses at BestBuyEyeglasses [paid advertisement]

How's that go, "The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades...".. think that's right.


No, there's not any great news to share or anything (it's around 50 in my office, what could there be good to share?) - I just immediately thought of that line when I saw the nice aviator style shades shown above. They are just one of the styles you will find at BestBuyEyeglasses.

But why am I suddenly talking sunglasses? Good question.

BestBuyEyeglasses.com, which has been featured in leading publications (including multiple times in the Wall Street Journal), wants everyone to know that they can get Prada Sunglasses at BestBuyEyeglasses. And, they will customize your lenses for you. Get your prescription eyeglasses made and enjoy the comfort of an easy return policy on all orders come with the. All you need to do is provide your prescription information and the optical experts at BestBuyEyeglasses.com will customize your lenses for you.

Want more? Use the discount code ETP5P and get an extra 5% off of the already discounted prices at BestBuyEyeglasses.

This post is a paid advertisement for
the PPP advertiser BestBuyEyeglasses

Are we there yet?

No, not going anywhere, I want to know if we are to spring yet. It's cold, and when we ran out of heating fuel last night it got even colder. brrrr. We had the heater for the electric fireplace, and that kept it up to 68 in where my dad is, but in the basement it got chilly and is still cold even at 3 in the afternoon.

I'm ready for warmer weather. This freezing my tail bone off all the time because the heater runs out of fuel sucks.


Got more fuel in it now though, and it's got the upstairs warm, but like I said, down here where my computer is it is still cold.

Family Caregiver's Blogroll

I have decided to create a family caregiver's blogroll. This is for the blogs of family caregivers so that other family caregivers can find and explore blogs of others that will understand the things that they are going through.

In trade for keeping this list maintained, all I ask is a link back in exchange for links to your blog. If you are a family caregiver that would like for me to add a link here to your blog, please leave a comment below with a link to your blog and a link to the page where you have linked to The Family C.A.R.E. blog

Family Caregiver Info and Family C.A.R.E.
Blog URL: http://akfamilycare.blogspot.com/

This post is for my dad and the rest of the soldiers in my family

Okay, this is for my dad, who was a veteran of the US Army for 21 years and served in, amoung other wars, WWII. And for my nephews who served and are serving in Iraq. And for the nephews that are too young yet to serve but carry AirSoft rifles around and make plans of one day serving in the military to protect freedom as their grandparents, uncles and aunt have done.

My father collects bald eagle pictures and figures. We have figurines of eagles in every room in the house (yes, even the bathroom) and pictures hang on almost every wall along side pictures of the family and ones that are just decorative. So this regal looking eagle to the right, with the flag behind him, caught my eye.

Another of the patriotic posters that caught my eye is the one shown below of Lady Liberty and her fallen twins. Of the reason two of my nephews went across the world and why one still risks his life in another country. There are many that protest the war in Iraq and those that question if the truth has been given on what happened in the days leading up to and following 9/11, but I do not believe that any mount of doubt or questions or anything makes it right to not support the young soldiers of this country in what they are facing.

We have a flag in our window with a service star on it. We are proud of our young soldier that is doing what he was asked to do. Is it right that he is there? I will not say one way or the other on that volatile subject. It is for every man and woman to believe as they feel in their hearts is right to feel. I will say that I will support any of the men and women that serve this country and go where they are told in a belief that it will keep those they love safe.

They say that the men and women of WWII did nothing less than save the world. Veitnam veterans are now respected where once they had been spit on (as I have heard some of our returning soldiers today are). What will history say of the young men and women of today? Will they someday be looked back on with respect and pride and have people proclaiming them to have done nothing less than saved the world?

America is not the only ones that stand and fight. We have allies that stand shoulder to shoulder with our soldiers to do what their countries ask of them just as our young men and women do what our country ask of them. What are they fighting for? Probably not very different things from what our troops fight for. The right to be who and what they are. The chance to help make the world a safer place for everyone. The right to see pretty young ladies in swim suits... oops. sorry about that. ;-) You know the soldiers (at least the guys) are thinking of the SI swimsuit issue though, right?

The next time you see a young man or woman in a military uniform, please, look them in the eye and give them a smile rather than a frown. They have placed everything they have, including their life, in harms way so that you have the right to spit on them if you want. But please. Don't.

Thank you.

And - in parting, just for the young men like my nephew that are serving their country -


God Bless the troops!

A ppp Advertiser

Been a long time

It has been such a busy week with first my flue last weekend and then catching up on everything - there is still loads of dishes and laundry that I have not fully caught up on and I am not even going to say how far behind I am on my writing. ::wince::

I don't think I mentioned yet the results of the last time dad went to see a doctor. He went in to see a neurosurgeon in Anchorage back at the beginning of the week and the doctor looked at the tumor deal that had been found at the back of his head (the one me and mom had TOLD the doctors was a issue for years and were ignored on) - the guy said that the thing did not seem to be growing, but he wants to have it looked at with scans about every 6 months to make sure. Said that as long as it does not suddenly start growing big that it is safer to leave it be than to try an remove it since to get to it requires major brain surgery through the top of the skull. :::flinches at thought of that:::

So that is the way things are now. Wait and watch and hope.

Home improvement directory that puts the home owner in control

Now here is a idea that is a long time overdue - placing the homeowner in charge of deciding who will call them about home repairs and handiwork. Take a look at the roofing contractors information at All Around the Home for an idea on what the website is like.

Basically they are changing the way home improvement directories work. Rather than what has been the standard of such directories, where the home owner submits their information and the site sells it to up to five subcontractors that then start calling to pressure the home owner to do business with them, All Around the Home puts the power in the home owner's hands. They let the home owner decide who will call them. Home owners can review each contractor by name and submit a request for a free estimate from only the companies that the home owner wishes to have contact them.

The site is still growing (at a rapid rate), so the areas covered are at the moment limited mostly to the original areas of Maryland and Virginia, but they are expanding to national coverage over the next few months.

This is a great way for the home owner to get quotes for things such as installation of handicapped access or remolding of a bathroom or bedroom to be eldercare friendly.

This post is sponsored by the PPP advertiser All Around the Home

Coming out the other end of sicklies

Well, I'm coming out the other end of the sicklies and hope to be halfway back to normal by tomorrow. I'm at least able to sit up and work on my blogs and websites again, so that's good news. Yesterday I was doing good to sit up and pick on a few fictional characters (I abuse my fictional characters when I am feeling unhappy, sick, or depressed. It's great therapy.)

I've hit nearly every over the counter and natural remedy I know of from the warm salt water a military doctor told me about when I had tonsillitis years back, to NyQuil. Something worked, or the sickies have finally run their course, whatever the case, I am getting better. And, even better, I think I may have managed to avoid passing it off to dad. :-D

Fireplace was best investment I've made

Well, we've only had the fireplace for a day so far, but my dad has already called me over several times to hug me and kiss me on the cheek and thank me for getting it. Of all the splurges I have made in my life, getting that electric fireplace for my dad has got to be one of the all time best splurges I have ever made. I haven't seen him enjoy anything so much in a very long time and it's completely safe to run the thing and is just running a few 40 watt light bulbs to run it so does not take much electricity.

Of course, if the heater part (it has a heater!) is run then it's be getting expensive. And we did run the heater this morning (yesterday now). Ran out of heating fuel in the middle of the night and rather than go out after some we turned on the heater on the fireplace. Kept the house nice and warm on a cold Alaskan night so I'm thrilled. Wasn't even turned up half way! I'll get a picture of the fireplace and get it up on here tomorrow or the next day, I promised V I'd get a picture of it up for her to see what I got. (May borrow my brother's camera and take a video of it even.)

Valentine's Day e-cards [Ad]

EGreetings.com has a new batch of e-cards just waiting for you to send them to your special Valentine. Whether you want to send something a little bit stupid (such as the Valentine's Day eCard by "The Chins" shown to the right) or a little bit flirty you can find it here. I personally like the Anti-Val card - fits my Valentine's Day moods perfectly. Just pour a martini and toast the single life. My second favorite has got to be the Betty Boop card, and who don't like Miss Piggy and Kermit? You can send Valentine's Day e-cards as either animated cards or non-animated post cards, I even saw some letterhead when I was looking around on the site.

Check out the free cards, or better yet, join up for a free 30 day trial* and check out all the cards. Either way, send someone the "We Interrupt This Valentine..." card it's free and sure to make anyone smile if it made Scrouge McMe smile. ;-)

Membership is just $13.99 a year and lets you send unlimited e-cards for birthdays, Valentines, Christmas cards, Thanksgiv--- you get the ides. Have a day you want to send a card for, even just a quick pick me up sent at random, you can send as many as you want to.

And, with membership, you can schedule the cards to arrive on a certain date, so you don't have to send them early or late or make time to go send them on the right day.

They have cards for Grandparents Day even, and some good Thank You cards that would work for caregivers (check out the Generous Spirit card), now they just need to add in a few for the National Family Caregiver's Month (hint hint guys ;-)) and they'll be all set.

This post is an advertisement for EGreetings
See side panel to join PayPerPost and have
control over the advertising for your blog

* Some personal information, including credit card information, will be required for free trial.

Alaska Longevity Bonus program

Alaska had a program several years ago that had been in effect for a while. It was called the Alaska Longevity Bonus program. In 2003 the then Alaska governor Gov. Murkowski decided that the program was no longer needed and phased it out.

In August, 2003, an estimated 18,000 Alaskan seniors lost between $200 and $250 a month in income that the state had at one time promised them they would always be getting. Many were forced to leave Alaska, which had been their home for many years, because they could no longer afford to stay.

At the time, Governor Murkowski said (paraphrased because I don't remember exact wording) "Who would miss a paltry $200 a month?" - We are talking about men and women that were already making choices between being able to eat a proper meal and buying needed medications. We are talking about 80 year old ladies that were able to have their wood delivered to heat their homes rather than have to go out and cut their wood themselves. WWII Veterans that were already trying to make ends meet after spending a lifetime in the military serving their country.

Alaska's current governor, Governor Palin, has made a promise to reinstate the Alaska Longevity Bonus program. It was one of her campaign promises and I for one hope that she holds true on that promise.

Websites and page rank [Advertisement]

Yesterday, much to my delight, I discovered that my Diet Tracker blog has a Google Page Rank of 1. I am assuming that it is because someone, or more than one someone's actually, have found my content to be worthy of linking back to from other websites.

Which is kewl, since the site is just a basic chronicle of my efforts to loose weight. It's not like I have anything there that is ground breaking science or, in my humble opinion, worth being seen by others. I do have a hope that the blog has at least some decent content on it that will encourage others in their own efforts to loose weight and that, I assume, is where the links come into play. Others having found my site to be of interest.

Links are the primary point of interest for Google's Page Ranking algorithms, granted that links are not the only thing they look for, but they are a known part of it - and a part that the webmasters can actually have some influence over.

By employing a marketing campaign to increase link popularity for your website using services such as Blogitive you can find people with blogs that relate to your website and get inbound links to your site.

This post is a paid advertisement for US Web

I got my dad a fireplace

I'm so thrilled. I managed to get one of those electric fireplaces from Home Depot yesterday for my dad. They cut the prices down by half on the things and with a little careful pondering on the bills and such I was able to justify getting one of them.

Was lucky too, the night before they had 5 or 6 sitting there when I first saw them, I went in last night around 4:30 p.m. and they had one left.


Got it and it's home now and looks really good. Dad's so happy with it too, he loves it.

Time Management

As full time caregivers, it is hard to manage time effectively. You are trying to schedule medications, meals, when doctor appointments are, physical therapy, occupational therapy, possibly time at the senior center or a local club, maybe fit in church activities... the list can go on and on for what all needs to be done, and you are not only balancing it out for yourself, but for your care recipient, any family such as kids and who knows who else.

I am a firm believer in the value of time management for full-time caregivers, so I wanted to tell you about Time Thoughts.

Time Thoughts is a time management website that offers information, a newsletter, and even a mini course on time management both for personal and business use.

This site can help you find ways to help you manage your time more effectively, such as prioritizing a to-do list, keeping a notebook with you, learning how to say no, reevaluating what you are giving up when you waste time on other less important activities.

Check it out and see what tips you can pick up for managing your time better and, hopefully, finding some time for yourself in the process.

This post is a paid advertisement for Time Thoughts

::waves bye bye to boredom munching::

I got my treadmill yesterday. Now when I am feeling tense or get the feeling to get up and wander around I can go and work out on the treadmill rather than wander the house - which always results in my ending up in the kitchen finding something to munch on.

I can now cut out around half of the calories that I have been building up each day through eating because I was bored and wandering the house. YES!!! Just cutting out them calories would mean weight loss, add in the walking on the treadmill and I'm going to be seeing results.

Which reminds me! ::bounces:: I may still weigh what I did a few months ago, but I checked my measurements and I have lost 3.75 inches off my hips! (1.75 off the waist and half an inch off my bust line) I'm feeling a lot better about them exercises that was not showing results.

Sleepless nights

Did it again, went through the night with barely any sleep. I would say that it seems like every 20 minutes I was woken up, but I happen to know that it was nearly exactly every 20 minutes that I was woken up. I checked the clock each time.

I finally gave up around 9 a.m., it was just too much effort to try to sleep again and so far I have gone an hour without anyone calling me for any rea--- :::pounds head on desk as the doorbell rings:::

...... Not my treadmill. Dangit. Must e-mail that fellow and find out what is up with that thing.

Anyway. Because of lack of sleep last night I have plans to be in bed by 7 p.m. tonight. (Hey, a gal can dream)

Hayfield Dental Care [Advertisement]

Hayfield Dental Care has been serving the residents of Alexandria and the surrounding areas since 1987, and for the past ten years charles brown dds pc has been one of their employees.

During his time working for Hayfield Dental Care, Charles Brown DDS has performed thousands of crown, root canal and surgical procedures. He is listed as one of the regions top dentists by the Washington Area Consumer Council and is a member of the ADA.

If you are in the Washington area, you are always welcome at the Hayfield Dental Care clinic where the doors are always open both to new patients and to emergencies.

This post is a paid advertisement for "Matt" at Blog About Your Blog

Health insurance

I'm certain that I need health insurance, but the stuff is unbelievably expensive that I have found so far and it's not exactly easy to justify $100, $400 or more per month for health insurance when I can't be sure I could even come close to covering that.

Anyone know of a good inexpensive plan? I know I will need insurance, but I'm not sure where to start on finding something that will be good for someone in my situation.

Hands hurt?

As someone that has a lot of problems with stiff and achy fingers after a day of typing, my attention was quickly caught by the Health.com article Help for Hurting Hands.

Sometimes I will just stand and let the hot tap water (as warm as I can stand) run over my hands just because it feels ohhhh soo goooood!

Based on what they say about the level of the keyboard, I am inclined to believe that might be my trouble, since as short as I am my keyboard is a good 4 inches higher than it should be. Not bad when I spend 6 to 10 plus hours a day on the computer working and playing.

Monex Deposit Company [advertisement]

The Monex Deposit Company has American eagle gold coins available in units of 10 one-ounce coins. These coins are for personal delivery only and are .9167 fine gold. They are a legal tender coin in the USA with a $50 face value.

Also available for personal delivery only in fractional sizes of ounce, ounce and 1/10 ounce, in units of 20 coins each.

This is just a small example of the gold investing possibilities with the Monex Deposit Company, a leader in precious metals investing in America. The coins that you can buy from the Monex Deposit Company have a currency value or they are actually defined as ingots.

I've talked about the Monex Deposit Company before, and I want to encourage you to go now and look into the possibilities of precious metal investing. Gold coins are not only valuable, they are lovely to own and admire. The beauty of a true gold coin of investment quality is, in my opinion, one of the best investments that someone can have.

This post is a paid advertisement for the Monex Deposit Company

Pill sorting made easier

I don't know why I didn't think of this long ago, but I have started keeping a small pair of round nosed jeweler's pliers with the pills so that when I fill up the week's supply of pills I can easily fish them little cusses out of the small compartment when they accidentally drop into the wrong one. This has made life so much easier where sorting the pills is concerned.

To do this, simply use a pair of needle point jeweler's pliers (available at any craft or hobby store), or a pair of tweezers, to gently grasp the misplaced pill and lift it from the compartment. Then drop it into the proper compartment.

When the caregiver gets sick

Today, as I fight off a bad sore throat, I am thinking about the problems that face caregivers when they get sick. You can't exactly care for your care recipient when you are ill, so you should be ready for something like that before hand.

Make sure that you have a printout of medications (like you would take the doctor), on hand for a substitute caregiver so they know what your care recipient is taking and include a list of when each is taken and the dosage.


Also, it is idea to have someone that knows your routine so they know how to do things such as assist your care recipient in and out of the bathroom or from bed to a chair and vice versa.

Have a ready to go doctor visiting 'kit' just in case your illness coincides with your care recipient needing to visit the doctor and make sure that your chosen substitute for taking them knows what needs to be done when they get there.

And remember. It can be hard sometimes to step back and let someone else take over, but you won't be doing your care recipient any favors if you pass the flu off to them. Take care of yourself and take care of your loved one.

Magazine subscriptions [advertisement]

Looking for something that you can get someone that you care for? Or maybe looking for something for a caregiver? You might consider getting a subscription to a magazine such as the large print Reader's Digest, National Geographic, a news magazine such as The Week, Family Circle, or any of the other magazine subscriptions that are available through online subscription sources such as Mags Direct.

Mags Direct offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, stating that: "If you are dissatisfied for any reason, you can cancel your subscription and we will credit you via your original payment for all issues that haven't yet been sent to you."

Giving the subscription as a gift to someone? Mags Direct will send a free hand written gift card to the recipient.

This post is a paid advertisement for Mags Direct

Late nights and early dawns

It seems like I end up spending more and more time staying up late into the wee hours of the morning in search of time to get my work done, and then getting up in the wee hours of the early morning to get my care giving work all done as well.


Dad watched Multiplicity earlier and I have to admit, the notion of having multiple clones to help me get my work done would be a kewl notion. There just never is enough time in the day and I am unfocused for the time that I do have. Vicious cycle.

Minor rant - ignorable

Every once in a while one of my siblings gets it into their head that they are as capable as me and mom at taking care of my dad. And they are, for about 2 hours. Then it starts to set in on the reality of what is required and they start realizing that I don't just sit on my butt all day doing nothing and sponging off our parents. There is genuine, difficult, sometimes painful and most often unappreciated work that goes into being a caregiver. Very hard and very grueling work that try as they might, they just can't do. I love it when they help out, when they come up and talk to dad or just sit and watch television with him, or stay here while me and mom go shopping, but they need to realize that I do know what I am saying a good percent of the time and that I am not just sitting and doing nothing.

Ebates - JCPenny [advertisement]

JC Penny has been recognized for years as a national leader in retail. They carry all of your favorite brands: St. John's Bay, Worthington, Delicates, Levis', Bali, Dockers and more… and now you can get cash back for shopping with JCPenny.

Ebates can help you to save money and get cash back when you shop at your favorite stores, stores like jcpenney, because they get a sales commission from their partners which they then turn into a check and mail to you. Most sites keep this money, but Ebates uses it to reward you.

Membership is free and Ebates gives you access to more than 800 stores and offers the best coupons and specials on the web.

The preceding post is a paid advertisement for Ebates

Things to do when you are insane

I've decided that maybe it is time for a little lightheartedness in all the chaos of being a caregiver, so here you go. Things to do when you have been driven over the edge into insanity by your caregiver responsibilities.

1) Blow spit bubbles and watch them pop

2) Take up knitting - yes, I know that it can be difficult to knit when you are not allowed sharp or pointy objects, but then you need to first get by the pesky difficulty of holding the yarn properly when wearing that straight jacket so just take it one thing at a time and start slow.

3) Start a group for the protection of the equal rights of bed bugs. They have rights too you know, there is no reason why the poor things need to be taken outside and beaten out of house and home or subjected to chemical toxicants that can kill them in an effort to make the beds pest free. Spread fliers around and get something organized to help stand up and get the plight of the bed bugs noticed.

4) Lay back, relax, and count the speckles on the ceiling of your room.

5) Take up a collection of junk mail and send out requests to the administration department and all of your fellow patents to please send you all that they get so you can make displays of the various kinds of junk mail and hold an exhibit in the main recreation room sometime later in the month.

6) Kick back, relax, and enjoy the buzz of all them fancy drugs that you are getting and don't have to sort out and measure yourself.

I'm sure there are more things that can be done, and you can see I am in a weird mood, so I will shut up and let you add any more you may want to in the comments.

Books for caregivers

As a caregiver and a writer both, I know how valuable it can be to be able to turn to a book for resource information or to answer a question that your just too frazzled to think of the answer on your own. So I offer up these two books on providing care that might help those that care for a care recipient understand and maybe even overcome the effects of burnout:


Self-Care for Caregivers: A Twelve Step Approach
by Pat Samples, Diane Larsen, Marvin Larsen


Preventing Caregiver Burnout (Caregiver Survival Series)
by James R. Sherman



And a book on Alzheimer's for those that want to better understand the early stages and what to expect from it when they become a caregiver for someone that has it:


Alzheimer's Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends, and Caregivers
by Daniel Kuhn, David A., M.D. Bennett

A.E. Feldman Associates - Risk management [advertisement]

A.E. Feldman Associates has been known since 1967 to have a high standard of service and commitment in recruiting.

The knowledge that their recruiters have from working on both sides of the desk, allow them to better understand the requirements of each industry they represent and better place employees to the hiring company, not just a position in that company.

With focus in areas such as financial and quantitative analysis, trading, risk management, business….and more, A.E. Feldman Associates recruiters understand the industry requirements and different practices of the fields in which they specialize. Emphasizing executive management, A.E. Feldman Associates work with and place high quality candidates at all levels.

The preceding post is a paid advertisement for A.E. Feldman Associates

Hospital Wiating Room Desk / chairs

I was over at the hospital earlier and for the first time had occasion to sit and wait for a little while. I sat in one of their fancy arm chairs with a built in swivel out writing table on the arm rest. I like them, they're a very kewl chair that someone should have put in waiting rooms long ago and I just wish that they had them in more than just the single main waiting area over at the hospital.

Helpful sibling syndrome

There is a problem in being a caregiver that many do not quite realize before it is too late. I suppose that you could call it the 'helpful sibling syndrome'.

This is the problem faced by caregivers when their siblings want to help out, but only as much as it will make the sibling feel good and like they are being a part of the whole overall caregiver role. It is the one that takes the care recipient out and without telling you, indeed hiding it from you, gives them things that are known to be off their diet or potentially injurious to their health. The one that sneaks cigarettes to the care recipient that had stopped smoking, that gives grape fruit juice to the one who's medications say "no grapefruit juice with this medication", the helpful goody goody that wants to dote on the care recipient and in doing so undermines the health of that person without understanding what they are doing that is so wrong.

How do you prevent such a thing occurring? I don't know. I just had a fight with one of my sisters over my father having wanted to stop smoking and my sister taking him into an environment where he is exposed to smoking and undoing all my dad's work to stop - she does not see where it is harmful, but then she had never listened to him choke and wondered if he was about to die from choking because of a dislodged clot or something else the doctors had warned about.

It just leaves me wanting to scream, and at the same time what can be done aside from refusing her assistance in caring for our dad? I guess the only thing I can do is leave it to my mom to talk it over with her and explain to her why it's not being helpful what she is doing and hope that my sister listens and understands.

Wedding favors [paid post]

Your wedding day is something that you want your family to remember as fondly as you remember it. Perhaps one of the best ways to assure that they look back on your special day with fond memories is through the giving of wedding favors. Check out the cheap wedding favors that you can get from Shop For Weddings.

Favors such as designer wedding rice, mini bottles of sparkling cider, and chrome heart bottle stoppers, mini Hershey's chocolate bars. Or look for personalized items such as personalized playing cards, personalized match books , personalized sand and shell bottles and personalized candle favors to help your guests remember your special day for years to come.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This post is a paid ad for shopforweddings.com

Serious rant about doctors ineptitude - sorry about this post.

Okay, I am getting rather *PISSED* at doctors and have to rant.

My dad has had this bump on the back of his head for a while now that mom and I keep pointing out to doctors and he complains hurts and causes him headaches and we keep getting this crap about it "not being a concern, just a fatty tissue build up", etc. One doctor poked it with a needle last year and when it didn't drain said, "Well, no worries, we could look closer at it, but it's not necessary because it's just a bit of fatty tissue." Even his normal doctor just blew the fricking thing off.

Now, yesterday, he goes to see a new doctor after something happened and his old heart doctor was kicked outta the medical community (still haven't found out what happened there), and this new guy looks at the thing and apparently ran some tests (my sister took my dad in for it all and reported back to me and mom on what was said and such), but this new guy actually looked at the thing and it is a mother fricking inoperable tumor that has wrapped itself around his inner cartrid (sp?) artery! If them bastards had paid attention several years ago when me and mom started bringing up concerns about it .... GRRRRRR!!!!! too pissed off to think straight let alone type right now. Took all my self control not to rant at my best friend when she was here for a few minutes before work a little while ago, didn't want to have her late for work or anything.

But that's what's going on in Alaska this week and it has me so gawd damn frustrated. I can deal with it if dad dies from his heart problems or another stroke or something, but if it happens because of a fucking tumor that the doctors could have fixed if they had listened to mom and me years ago I'm going to be PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!

Shutting up now.


(Cross posted to Phantascene.com's Journal)