Guess What T is for Halloween?

T spied this Spanish Dancer costume today in Target, and refused to consider any other costume. So, its decided....she is officially the Spanish Rose for Halloween. Luckily, the thing fits her like it was custom made for her. We're thrilled.

Now if we could only find a black lace mantilla...a fake/costume one. The real ones cost a fortune.

Still Hanging in There

I'm still hanging in there. My dad was released from Mt. Sinai hospital to the rehab hospital. I was very hopeful that finally I would get an assessment on his physical abilities and limitations post stroke. 11 days he was in the hospital, and no one can tell me. I asked everyday. There was a new nurse everyday which was very frustrating. No continuity of nursing care. I asked to speak with the physical therapist only to be told that they don't make phone calls. Idiots. All I would get was speak to the doctor. The doctor who has never seen my dad attempt to walk, nor is ever around. When he did deign to call, I could barely understand him b/c he spoke so frickin' fast and it was clear all he wanted to do was hang up the phone.

I asked for the physical therapy report, to no avail. So, I'm thinking, OK. I won't make a scene. I'll wait til he goes to the rehab hospital where that's all they do. He was transferred Tuesday night, and I went to see him first thing Wednesday morning. The nurses report that he was agitated around 300 a.m., wanted to do home, and was given drugs to calm him down. By 900 he seemed happy, in good spirits, and cooperative.

I was also happy b/c they have a team of psychiatrists psychologists who I like on staff, so I was hopeful that I'd get some help or medication to give him on a long term basis, to assist with his behavior issues at home when he's trying to throw the aide out.

Notice its all in past tense.

I got a call around 300 pm that they were transferring him back to Mt. Sinai. He wigged out and decided he was walking out. Never mind that his balance is off and could fall and kill himself. Never mind he was only in hospital gown and underwear. Never mind that the was just wearing little socks. Never mind that he had no wallet, money, keys. Never mind that his truck is parked at home. He said he was leaving, going downstairs to his truck and driving home. He just wants to get home to my mom, poor thing.

Well, lets just say he made it to the elevators, and it too 8 men to get him back to his room. Even they drugs they had there weren't kicking in to subdue him. So, the packed him off back to the ER, where they could use the mega drugs, I guess.

He remains there through the weekend for observation. No word on any release.

So, I'm back to square one. Trying to figure out what his physical capabilities are to make a determination about the future. Can he come home? That's what we hope. Does he need further equipment in the house if he does? Do we need to get another aide in the house if he does?

What's worse, I think the doc is going to yank his driving privileges. Even if we got meds to calm him generally re Icolene and my mom's care, once he realizes he can't drive it will be WWIII. The big one. A frickin' nuclear one. Oy.

So, who knows what the future will hold. I'm not that optimistic that it will be anything easy or good.

Its the little things that count

Yes, I'm beginning to very much appreciate the little things and find joy where I can. My current joy is my new laptop, which works at the speed of light. What a difference!

Of course, it was a bit of a pain getting it. I had to go to two best buys. They had it advertised on sale for 429.00. Frankly, given the fact that I'm about to get another paycut curtesy of the Board of County Commissioners, I've been trying to economize. New laptop wasn't in the budget. I wanted to pay as little as possible. However, I'm an HP girl. Always found that brand reliable. Plus, I wanted to get one big enough that my over-40 eyes could still see. This one was a 17 inch number.

My problem, is that I believe Be$t Buy is involved in a bit of bait and switch action. It was impossible to find a computer for the advertised price. Instead, they were adding at least another 99 buck for their bullshit geek squad services and in store warranties. In the past, their services/warranties were always a hard sell add on at the register. Now, the computer is supposedly already "fixed by them" and the price is automatically jacked up. Jerks.

Suddenly my 429 computer was 580 with tax at the register. Of course, they had no computer at the advertised price in stock. I walked away sans computer and annoyed. Luckily at the second store, I was able to cause enough of a stink that they reduced the price of the computer by 50 bucks. I didn't feel like wasting any more time or gas fighting over 50 bucks, so I caved.

Still I'm thinking of lodging a complaint with the atty general's office. I wonder if they do this with all their product, now?

Week from Hell

• Well, where shall I begin in reciting and documenting the hellish week I've suffered. And do I really want to b/c really, who wants to read this? But, since ultimately this is a chronical of our life typed my family, here we go...

• It all started last saturday, when Ico called hopping mad bc my dad was threatening to throw her out of the house. We go tearing over there to keep the peace, and finally leave around 800 at night. I get a call the next morning that my dad had been falling down during the night.

• He fell in the early morning hours, and Ico had to call fire rescue to get him back up. Then, he fell again around 600 and fire rescue was called again. They put him back in his twin sized bed after determining his vitals were OK.

• Ico called me around 800 to say she can't deal with him. I go over to find that apparently he had tried to get up to go to the bathroom, and fell. He was lying perpendicular on the bed. It took both Ico and I together to get him laying right in the bed. However, he wanted to walk 15 feet to the bathroom. He could barely stand up, needed assistence standing, and had trouble making his feet/legs work correctly.

• I called 911 had had him transported to the hospital. He's been there since sunday. While the cat scan showed nothing, the MRI showed he had a stroke. Luckily its a mild one. They did other tests and determined that his heart is OK and not causing the strokes. Its just his physiology and old age. Of course, if anyone reads this blog, they know he is in denial about the whole thing. Apparently, the hospital has been drugging him up, b/c he's so uncooperative with treatment. They want to release him to a rehab facility. I have not seen him walk since he's been in the hospital. They report that it took a male nurse on each side supporting him for him to go to the bathroom. Not sure if that's b/c his balance is affected due to the stroke, whether its residual from the meds, or a combo of both. I have no idea what the future will hold for my dad. If his mobility is affected, I don't think that Ico will be able to deal with him. Don't know what we shall do. Only time will tell.

• In the meantime, the reason for no updates here, is that on sunday or monday night, I spilled diet coke on my laptop. Ruined the keyboard and could no longer type on it. Just bought a new one today.

• Friday, I got a call from the hospice nurse saying she was at the house, and no one was answering the door. I freak and go flying home, only to discover all was well. For a bit I was wondering if the fill in aide had just up and left my mom alone, or Ico had returned and was in trouble in the house. Oy.

• On the way back to work, to avoid a construction area, I chose to go down NE 2 Avenue. The frickin road was also under construction. I drove over some unidentifiable thing in the road, that blew my time. Literally cut the thing to smithereens. Given the huge noise it made as well, I had the car towed to the dealership to make sure that nothing further was wrong other than the tire. Good thing. Apparently there is all kinds of damage to the wheel and all related parts. Had to put in an insurance claim.

• Went to lunch, and the waiter dropped and broke the water glass, spilling it all over us.

• I really am starting to think that I'm under some type of jinx.

• I have now found that the thing I'm most greatful for at the moment, is aftercare. They do homework. Therefore, between all the hospital visits and getting home at 900, I don't have to worry about T and her homework. Its already done.

Girlie Night

Friday night was a girlie night. T opened up a bday present she had received. It was a Hello Kitty Makeup set. She loves it and spent the night painting her toes, putting on lip gloss, and slathering herself in body glitter...on her tummy!

She particularly likes the toe separator. The kid's got some snazzy toes!

Live and Learn

Well, now I understand why most of the little kid watches have plastic bands. Recall from below that my choice of watch was the really cute plainer watch with the snazzy hot pink cloth band.

Well, after a mere 3 days of wearing it at school, that cute pink band has a slight brownish tinge to it...from all the frickin' dirt!

I failed to take into account the sheer amount of dirt that comes along with a hard day at school and aftercare. I doubt that the thing will last the remainder of the month without turning black.

So much for my great sale purchase.

Teeth, braids, and time

What could these three things possibly have in common? Its just our life.

Big new (in my opinion) is that T lost another tooth. #7. It's on the top, next to one of her two front teeth. She put the tooth in this cute tooth-fairy-holder- thing that hangs on the door. Woke up the next morning and I heard some scurrying around in T's room. And realized that I had fallen asleep immediately the night before, and totally FAILED in my TF duties. Bad, Bad mom. I ran for the cash and back to her room, where she was crying in bed b/c the tooth fairy forgot her. My heart was breaking too. Oy.

After some really fast talking, (lying through my teeth really), and some slight of hand under her pillow, I palmed the tooth and said that T must have been mistaken. Some fast talk about her waking up too early and the tooth fairy just wasnt done yet. Kid bought the whole thing. (insert HUGE sign of relief)

Today, Sunday, T is sporting a new hair style. Dot gave her some braids and she is very very proud of what she considers a big girl hairstyle.

I just think she's cute. But then I'm biased. The child could shave her head when she's rebelling and 16, and I'd still think she's adorable.

So after the TF fiasco of yesterday morning, we headed to the mall. T needed some ear buds (that's what they call ear or head phones these days) for her computer class. While out, we picked up a watch for her. Two watches, actually. She's been wanting one since she's learned how to tell time.


Ended up getting them both at Nordstroms of all places, where they were on sale for 11 bucks. JCP, Claires, and all the rest of the stores had watches for much more.

T, of course, chose the red one. It's a cuff-style with "diamonds" around the face. Mom chose the plainer pink one. I have my doubts that the gang at the catholic school will think the mod red watch is appropriate for school. Of course, given my lingering guilt from the tears of the morning, I caved and she got them both. Loves them. In fact right now, has them BOTH on. Same arm.

That's it for now. No idea what we're doing the rest of the long weekend. We're about to go and check up on my parents this afternoon.

Both Dot and I had to drop everything earlier in the week, as I got a call saying my dad was suddenly deaf in one ear. Had to get him in immediately that day for examination. Doc said its either nothing, i.e. clogged up ears, or its an ear virus. If a virus, he would have to start meds immediately else risk permanent hearing loss. So, off we went and the doc found two huge balls of wax clogging his ears. However, we was continuing to complain of hearing loss. So, Dot the next day had to drop all to take him to the doc. Turns out it was nothing serious, just the wax.

Bright spot in it all was that I was able to score another 5 or 6 packs of hearing aid batteries. I'll be placing them in the mail quite soon.