Day ElEvEn

 January 14, 2021

No carbs for dinner last night YAY!  Just the two beers with Tans.  

This morning I noticed mom made a sneek trip up to the grocery store in town, Murphys.  But when I asked her earlier in the evening while discussing the missed phone calls she said she never left and monitored the phone all day - HMMMMM

Anyway, more food in the fridge and pantry. Tacos tonight which I am very much looking forward to.

Tate came home today so he can get his ski gear ready for the weekend - which means.....Axell is home for the weekend - Yay, three dogs and two elderly people for the weekend.  Please send prayers.

When I called mom earlier this morning she said she needed assistance with the remote - go figure!  I facetimed her so I could get a better idea of what she was having trouble with.  Let me clarify, I have ONE remote and you only use ONE small section of it.  I have Netflix and youtubeTV. That's it!  I'm not sure but I think I may need to get a poster board out and write a descriptive of navigating the remote. Dad had been stuck on Thomas the Train for sometime before I called. 

Day TEN 10 woohoo. Nothing on the agenda!

 January 13, 2021

Its Wednesday - Garbage day!  I think mom and dad were concerned that I wouldn't get the garbage out before the truck came.  I wonder how they think I manage every other week?  Dad is also super impressed that at least once a week I drive the company truck home.  It is not really a big deal but I think it really impresses him.  

The last two nights I have had customers for hair.  From 5-7:00pm I'm downstairs.  When I came back up last night mom said "no wonder you don't get bored alone - you never stop working".  True mom, very true!

So the last two days were pretty emotional with trying to figure out when surgery would be but it is nice to know we can slow down and just get everything done before she goes in.  A big weight is off her shoulders now knowing the surgery will happen - someday.  Mom is determined to have it and get home before Gram Helen's 100th Birthday in April and I certainly hope for her sake this does happen.

More later.....

when I got home mom was having more phone issues.  Turns out the new highspeed wifi which was installed recently at her house in Bruce has a nice feature added.  She has telephone (with voicemail) and internet.  Well, apparently her voicemail sends and email with the voicemail message link to her email account.  She gets notifications for her email on a banner popup on her cell phone.  Mom was just beside herself not understanding why her home phone messages were coming to her cell phone.  We cleared that up and I did NOT have to use a whiteboard chart to explain it :)

Needless to say I haven't been out with friends since mom and dad got here sooooo, I ventured out to the Mulligans for some much needed girl time with my bestie!🍺  I just LOVE pulling in my drive and seeing Dad peek up to look out the window at me coming home 💕

Day 8 and 9 - Hang on the emotions are strong!

 January 11 & 12, 2021

Not gonna lie - I was a little freaked out about waking up this morning with mom gone.  BUT, dad got up just after me, in a great mood, took dog out and looked super worried that I was leaving to walk Benny in the dark. Its ok dad - we are in Kentland, and Im 53, and my friends are out walking also. :)

I was super worried when I pulled out of the drive, leaving my father who has mild dementia home alone with two dogs, in a my house that hes not totally familiar with.  Mom's appointment is at 8:00am so an hour there and an hour home would get her back to him by 10:00am.  At 11:30am I called and she was leaving Schererville.  I think she got home somewhere around 12:30. 

When I walked in at 4:30pm Monday night this is what I learned:

Mom looked like she had been crying, eyes dark and teary, sitting at the table with a pad of paper and a pen that she just bought but was chewed on both ends from her dog. Numbers and notes written all over numerous other pieces of paper were scattered on one third of the table.

 When mom returned from up north she said Dad was there, alive and somewhat confused look on his face.  After a bit they realized his blood sugar was so low it wouldn't register. FOR GOD SAKES - WHY!!!! She fed him a subway sandwich (remember we have enough bread in the house to feed us for a month) because she found some coupons on the cabinet.  Makes sense I guess.

My first question as I walked in was "what is wrong'!  More tears! Dad standing by her side looking scared to death. As I look beyond mom I see a pee stain from my dog in the hallway on the carpet. Then the story starts;

* Her phone wont ring

*Something is wrong with it

*All the doctors she is waiting for to call back go right to voicemail

*Tim's call came through and Gail's call came through and Eric's call came through

*Dad's lady Kim, said he might need less medicine

*Carson, moms Nurse Practitioner, said she needs the Echo-gram

*Some other doctor said mom needs new meds and she cannot find the Kentland CVS

and the best news of the day - and reason she is crying - is....

THE INSURANCE COMPANY EXTENDED THE OUT OF NETWORK CLEARANCE!

So, mom, you are crying because you are happy???????

Lets move on to Tuesday since the nightmare dog slept through the night and until 5:30!  Woohoo.

Tuesday is gonna be a good day. I taught mom how to get to Netflix to continue watching her show from Matt's house last night. This morning she got pretty close but not quite.  Taught her again.  Not much more exciting happened today.  Oh but I forgot about the picking up poop in the yard episode yesterday.  This may have been what contributed to dads exceptionally low sugar.  He picked up poop in my yard, broke the plastic picker upper and continued with a hoe, because ya know, its FROZEN!  Today dad continued on to the front yard and cleared all poop from my property.  YAY.

I think we have had pasta and/or some form of carbs every day - and tonight was no exception.  Mom made what I would call "chicken noodle helper" but from scratch last night.  Tonight it was chicken noodle soup.  Both were fantastic but Im going to start tonight with NO CARBS for at least the next five days.

Fun fact, Mom drinks almost as much beer as dad!  Happy Tuesday!

Day 7 - The weekend

 January 8, 2021 

Its the weekend.  We made it an entire 7 days "living" with each other.  There is a very different atmosphere when you are living for an extended time together as opposed to visiting for a week.  A huge difference is that "I" get up and go to work and am gone for the majority of the day.  Heading into the weekend feels good knowing the boys are coming home tonight.

I do not have hair tonight so I am taking Mom and Dad out to dinner at Iroquois Cafe aka Bunkum.  Dad had the Patty Melt because......well because its on the menu and its his go to if its on the menu.  Mom and I had Perch and it was excellent.  It felt good to get out and we ran into a few friends.  Donna G. who is always fun to talk to and just before we left the Mulligans walked in.  That was a nice end to our night.  Its funny to me that my parents are always amazed that I know people :)  Ive lived here just about ten years so I hope Ive met a few good people!

Saturday morning and I have some hair scheduled.  Not before making some really good baked French toast for breakfast.  Tate ended up staying home (W.Laffy) since he feels Axell gets too anxious with the car ride (or Tate does).  Lucas made it home, not in time to join us for Bunkum Friday but definitely in time for breakfast.  I did hair for a good portion of the morning.  Mom baked (more bread) Banana bread, Banana muffins and cookies for Tate.  Mom made her famous Cranberry Chicken for dinner and Lucas and Alex aka "Vitous" joined us.

Sunday morning - Lucas still here means..... B&G for breakfast.  Mom left around 2:30 to head north.  Spending the night at brother Matt's house so she didn't have to leave so early for Monday morning doctor appointment.  Dad and did just fine Sunday night.  Had some dinner and watched a little TV before bed.

 

Day 6 - Newton County Historical Society with Kay Babcock

 January 7, 2021

Nothing on the agenda today so I suggested last night that mom and dad go see my great friend Kay B. at the Historical Society.  I'm sure they will have ALOT to talk about. I've heard that they also went to the Kentland Library and thoroughly enjoyed that as well.  I am really hoping mom got some rest today as Izzy was awake at 4AM today.  And, I also hope she made chili as she suggested she would :)

Day five - No TV

 January 6, 2021

A relaxing day at home for mom and dad, catch up on sleep since Izzy is on the 4:00am wakeup call, and maybe some TV.  NOPE, mom got a little confused with the remote and somehow switched it from HDMI2 to HDMI3 and couldn't get back on track.  So a relaxing day of sitting on the couch it is!  Great idea, lets go shopping again.  Off to Walmart in Watseka.  More bread, donuts, I don't even know what else.  The fridge is looking more and more like her own at home and the countertops are almost covered with goodies like cookies, candy and donuts.  Good think I joined the Gym.

Since they couldn't watch tv all day you can bet that was what they wanted to do as soon as I walked in.  I figured out quickly what the issue was and got the news on so they could catch up on all the bullshit happening in DC.  I headed down for a few haircuts before returning to the same bullshit still on.  After eating a few leftovers I retired to my room to watch some Netflix.  Mom and dad followed shortly after to bed.  

Day Four - The MRI

 January 5, 2021

Back to NWI today for mom.  Of course dad and Izzy go along for the ride and company. They left early for her 4:30pm appointment, did MORE grocery shopping at Walmart this time and then headed over to Merrillville.  Mom wanted to go early so that she was in the area and just incase they could take her sooner.  Well, as luck would have it, when she walked in at 2:30 to use the restroom she told them she would be back for her 4:30pm appointment and they said they had a cancellation and could take her then.  Perfect as this means they wont be driving home in the dark.

I decided this is the year I'm going to get in shape so along with a coworker I joined the local Gym by my work.  Day one of working out got me home about 20 mins before mom and dad - just in time to experience the 17 bags of MORE groceries.  This time we have more bread, bagels, soup, gosh I really don't remember but was able to stuff it all in my very small kitchen cabinets.  They had already eaten up north so leftovers for me!  We watched a little TV and off to bed.

Day Three - The doctor Appointment

 January 4, 2021

Playing catch up from the last few days if you haven't already noticed.....

Its back to work for me and on to the Doctor for Mom.  I think we all had a pretty good night sleep and Izzy only woke up about 20 mins before my alarm went off.  So that wasn't too bad.  I managed to get my normal routine in and done 10 mins before time to leave.  Gave directions to mom on where she was going and how to lock up the house with two of the three dogs staying home and Izzy tagging along for the day.  

Mom and dad left the house around 8 for her 10:00am appointment and hour away.  This was GOOD!  They were at the doc for well over and hour and half.  But - I am pleased to say both doctor and patient really connected.  Turns out, as usual, doctor has been up to the Northwoods of Wisconsin and knows Flaters, Joe Flater and the surrounding area.  Moms records from the Wisconsin doc were very thorough and Doc IN agrees surgery is necessary!

Doc sent mom over to get an MRI since hers was over 6 months old.  That turned out to be a fiasco.  2.5 hours later mom left the office with an appointment to come back the next day.  They returned home with about 7 bags of "grocery" type items from Menards.  Everything from laundry soap that is big enough to las me 6 months to chips, coffee, paper towel and toilet paper (again enough for 6 months).  She says "we will use it!

I made some ribs in the Instantpot and Tate came up for dinner and to pick up Axell.  Dinner was amazing and included homemade Pierogi from WI.  We were able to have a great dinner one more time on the Christmas china before it gets packed away till next year.

Day Two with Mom and Dad

 January 3, 2021

Nothing too exciting today.  We just got organized.  We made some split pea soup with leftover ham from Christmas - it was a combined effort of both mom and I.  Its nice that I have the stools in the kitchen at the Island so mom and dad can sit there and help with prepping or just talk while I fix a meal.  

The most challenging part of today was keeping Izzy, Benson and Axell out of each others business.  Ben wants to investigate what the heck Izzy has in that huge bed/cage of his at any chance the door is open and he can get in.  Axell just wants to smell this new little creature that looks like a squirrel and lives in his master's bedroom.  Fun fact for the day; Big or little all dogs will steel a bone that isn't theirs if they get the chance.  Big or little all dogs are afraid when faced with the aggression of another dog.

TV Remote 101: Not all TV remotes are created equally.  Learning the ups and downs of watching TV proved to be not to hard - on day one. We had a little lesson about what to touch and what not to touch.  My investment in  YouTubeTV seems to be a good choice so far.  Mom and dad watch what I call "regular tv" on a regular (all day long) basis.  So when I realized they would be bored off their "rockers" with only Netflix and Prime I decided I'd either get a cable package or something similar.  In walks Tate to save the day.  He signed me up for YouTubeTV and taught me how to use it.  At $62/mo it sure beats the over $200 Mediacom was going to charge me.  Now we can watch all the basic Chicago news stations as well as HGTV, cooking shows, CSI and on and on....

Day one - Chronicles of mom and dad

 January 2, 2021

When mom says "we are leaving first thing in the morning" that usually means they will make the normally 8 hr trip sometime before 7pm.  On some occasions they have been know to just make a stop in IL at Gail's house and not show up until sometime the following evening.  On this particular trip though, Kim text me and said they left the house at 8:30am.  Do the math - 4:30pm.  Well one stop for dinner, two for the potty and they made it by 5:45!  Woohoo. Its a Christmas Miracle.  I did get my scolding text at 7:30pm telling me that "someone should have text to let me know they arrived"!  Let me remind you I am now 53 years old and I still get these text from the oldest sibling because apparently I need to be reminded of how to act as the younger sibling.

Night one went very very smoothly.  All unloaded within a half hour and actually sat down for dinner of leftover meatball sandwiches.  Now lets talk about what was unloaded: enough groceries to fill up my beer fridge in the garage.  This is acceptable to me since they are leaving their home for what could be three months.  So, rightfully, I expected a large amount of groceries showing up with them.  Lets not forget they just left their home after entertaining the eldest sibling's family for the past week or better.  Actually, said family was still at mom and dad's home when they left (for another 12 hours - packing up their stuff).  The clothing we unpacked was nowhere near what I expected.  Typically a week vacation for mom brings enough clothes for a month in my opinion.  So she gets a HUGE gold star in that department.  Dad did not come with snow boots though - luckily his feet are equivalent enough in size to mine so we can accommodate there!  Apparently he didn't think we get snow down here in the "south".

My anxiety level was extremely LOW this evening.  I can do this!  What I thought would push me into stress - unpacking the car - went so well that I am now very optimistic about the rest of the stay!