Wow, Denise!!! I'm sorry to hear about your friend's cancer, and even more sorry you found out about it while everything was hitting the fan.

Hang in there!

I've been beyond busy and stressed the past 2 weeks.

We went on vacation. We came home on Sunday. Stop at inlaws on way back. This turns a 5 hour trip into a 8.5 hour trip.

Monday: I shopped and cooked dinner for dinner co-op on Monday.

Tuesday: Went for breast biopsy (which he actually didn't do because all of the ultra sounds came out fine). Taught a band class. Worked the annual telethon to raise $$$ for after school band.

Annual concert with 7 schools and 9 band directors and 250 students is next day. Three of the band directors can't come to the concert. 1 has a good excuse and is handling it well. Other two have less than great excuses, and email and phone machine is filled with messages regarding who knew what when... and what should be "done" about the "situation".

Wednesday: Area Concert. Worked from 6am until 10pm (with a one hour break in there). But my students played AWESOME and I'm very happy. Concert went well.

Thursday: Finished up concert grunt work... and moving giant, heavy boxes of folding music stands and percussion equip to elementary schools. Field more phone calls about the band directors missing from the concert "situation".

(Oh forgot. Had nasty run in with the band director who we refer to as the "music stand nazi" Wednesday night. I thought that I got along with most people until I started teaching after school band, and have met some of the best people I have ever met... AND I have met some of the most DIFFICULT JERKS I have ever come across.)

Back to telethon for 4 hours to raise more $$$$. Pick kid up from evening band rehearsal.

Friday: Have been working with a cold this whole week and crash. Get news that friend from play group is not having a brain tumor biopsy... against doctors orders.

Saturday: Spent and AWESOME day with Jamie, turning concert video footage into a "movie" and DVD.

Sunday: feel worse and crash on couch most of the day.

Monday: (yesterday) get news that friend did have biopsy and has brain cancer. Shop and cook dinner for dinner co-op.

Been a long week or 10-11 days or so.

I think the amount went up to $11,000. And you can give more to married couples (not fair, I know)

Its sounding like your mom is starting to suffer from some form of dementia. Maybe you or your sister need to look into getting a Power of Attorney for your mom so you can handle $$ stuff later on.

Glad things are good Denise.

I just looked at myself in the mirror, and I look about 15. *sigh* No-wonder no-one takes me seriously. Oh well, off to go hear Teddy Roosevelt at Miss Porters!

Great Denise. Glad everything is showing as "normal" and continued Good Luck in April & June.

Mother has gotten it in her head that Social Security is going to tap into her bank accounts and take all of her money so she wants to give it all to us now. Basically, it is our "inheritance" but early. You can only "gift" someone up to $10,000 in one year tax free. Any amount over that in one year's time incurs a tax. We are are going to open accounts at her credit union and let her do this to ease her mind but the money will just sit there drawing interest until she needs it. She will have an additional $6000 she has to do something with, either leave it in the bank or take it out and "stash it under her pillow" , or spend it.

She started drawing SS about 18 years ago. Last year she got a letter saying they were discontinuing her checks and that she had been overpaid all those years and they wanted $15,000 back . None of us think they are going to take her money out of her accounts. We keep trying to tell her that they will just withhold her checks until that money has been "recovered" and then start sending her checks again at the proper rate but we can't convince her of that. Hince her plan to give it to us.

One good thing came about as a result of all of this. As my sister was filling out the paper work she discovered her drivers license expires in June this year. If it weren't for mother she would have let it expire without realizing it until she tried to get on the plane to go to Boston with mother this summer.

yeah denise!

Denise: So glad to hear that your test results are not too worrisome or out of the ordinary!

I’m knocking out these tests and procedures and doctor’s appointments. Takes up several hours a day… plus with more work hours this week… is kind of why I’m not posting, too much.

The test results are dribbling back… and everything is pretty much “normal”. Sort of like going to the dentist and MOST of your teeth are FINE… but you might have a cavity… that is within the range of “normal”. Sort of like, “This is wrong… but very common and not un-normal”.

All of my blood work (thyroid, liver, sugar, kidney, etc, etc, came back GREAT! Yay!!! BP has been GREAT!!! Cholesterol won’t be checked until next year… which is a number I’m dying to see… but doctor doesn’t think he wants to see for another year.

Pelvic sonogram showed that everything is normal… with a couple of very minor cyst kind of things (which probably are responsible, in part, for irregularity and spotting). (Poor Sheltie and anybody else who is covering their eyes and screaming at monitor, "TMI!!!! TMI!!!! TMI!!!!" )

Breast sonograms show that everything is normal… lumpy and cyst-y… but normal.

Tests are basically showing that I’m 50, menopausal and have lumpy body parts… which I already kind of thought… but good to have it checked. Every nurse I’ve seen… and at this point, I’ve seen many… has said, “It is good that you came in as this is not stuff that you want to ignore”.

One more appointment in April and two in June… and I’m good to go.

Thank you all for your good wishes!!!

If I did not know better, I'd say you were describing Dave's Mom. Her eating habits were really bad, and it ended up that the only way she would get any nutrition into her was when she'd go out to eat with his sister.

She had some kind of dementia. I agree with giving the doctor a call or even writing him/her a letter. Helen (and my Grandmother, who has Altzheimers) would still be very polished in what they perceived as social situations, so you wouldn't be able to tell something was strange unless/until you were looking for it.

I also think you should go with her as well, and listen to what she is telling the doctor. Maybe even see if the doctor can order that they get some kind of home health care aide, if their insurance will cover it. It sounds like both your parents need more help than you might be able to give them.

Just so you know it's possible...my mom has scheduled "phone" visits with her mom's doctor to discuss problems that she's pretty sure Grandma isn't talking about. That way, Grandma doesn't feel bullied or ignored; Mom knows the doctor is getting a picture of her health from another viewpoint.

Denise, here's hoping all your tests come back so normal that you're labeled "boring."

quote:

Originally posted by Brie:
Sounds like your Mom isn't doing too well Judy.
I'm really sorry! Hopefully the doctor will have some answers tomorrow.

In many ways, the description sounds a lot like my grandmother who has a non-Alzheimer's dementia. Her appetite is terrible as well and her doctor prescribed an appetite stimulant that helped for a while. Maybe that's something to talk to the Dr about?

That is what she eats normally but the last 4 days have been anything but normal.

I am not sure about Friday but I do know that Saturday she had nothing to eat or drink except a few sips of hot tea. Sunday all she had was approx. 1/4 cup thin potato soup and today all she has had is one of those little diced peaches cup. Any yet she has been showering and doing her hair for the past half hour. I don't know where she is finding the energy. She must be burning muscle (she has no fat stores).

I will definately ask the doctor about the appetite stimulant. I do intend to go into the doctor's office with her whether she likes it or not. She has muscled her way into all of my doctor's appointments from the last 7 years and it is about time I returned the favor.

Last week was the first time I was at the doctor's alone and they all commented on it .

Sounds like your Mom isn't doing too well Judy.
I'm really sorry! Hopefully the doctor will have some answers tomorrow.

In many ways, the description sounds a lot like my grandmother who has a non-Alzheimer's dementia. Her appetite is terrible as well and her doctor prescribed an appetite stimulant that helped for a while. Maybe that's something to talk to the Dr about?

Actually her memory has been going for some time now and she is often confused about what day it is and sometimes even what time of day it is. She sleeps a lot in the afternoons because she stays up all night. If she gets up around 6 (and it is dark) she sometimes starts fixing breakfast instead of dinner.

She got up this morning (7am) and fixed breakfast, ate 2 maybe 3 bites and went back to bed.

(I deleted the photos, they were so big it was throwing everything off ).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BrenauMom,

quote:

If your mom USUALLY can read the paper and know what day it is... this may be MUCH more serious than a cold and just not eating enough. You may want to take her to the ER...

I agree Judy. Sounds like your mom is pretty confused (which is a change?) and should get some medical attention today.

Big hugs your way.

quote:

Originally posted by BrenauMom:
I can't seem to get thru to her that her weakness, loss of memory and fuzzy headedness is due to not eating enough.

She may have fallen because she had a stroke or something...

I was recently in the ER, because I was worried that I had had a stroke (but I didn't). What day is it? Was one of the questions they asked me. Weakness and dizzyness are also stoke symptoms.

If your mom USUALLY can read the paper and know what day it is... this may be MUCH more serious than a cold and just not eating enough. You may want to take her to the ER...

Sending hugs, Judy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GoingSkiing,

hang in there.

UPDATE:
I finally managed to get mother to swallow 6 sips of tea last night but that is all she ate all day yesterday. I did not sleep well last night because I was listening for her getting up in the night.

The last time I woke up this morning she had gotten up and gone to the dining room under her own power to "take her medicine" and I thought if she eats a good breakfast I might be able to go to my square dance class after all. But all she did was eat a Special K breakfast bar & take her pills. Then she came to my bedroom door with a piece of the newspaper in her hand. "Why is this in the Saturday paper?". I told her today was Sunday and she looked very confused. "What happened to Saturday?". Oh well, so much for going to class. I don't know if she even remembers falling or not. She went back to bed shortly after that. When she got up later, she asked Dena why she was still here. Dena said "What do you mean?" and she said "Why aren't you at work?" so Dena told her it was still Sunday. About an hour later she came to the door again and said "Are you sure it is still Sunday?". I am not sure if she believes me yet, about it being Sunday. I just don't know what to do about her. I am afraid to go anywhere and leave her here. She would not be alone, daddy would be here but she will not let him help her with anything (long story-50 years long actually) and my sister makes it a point not to be around much because of something mother said to her 25 years ago.

She has a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and quite frankly I hope he puts her in the hospital and pumps some nutrition into her.

I can't seem to get thru to her that her weakness, loss of memory and fuzzy headedness is due to not eating enough.

I have had "the squirts" all day & a nagging pain up under my left shoulderblade and it has just occurred to me that it must be my old nemisis (sp?) IBS brought on by stressing out about her . She has just gone to bed (I hope for the night) & I am about to do the same and watch the repeat of I Can Make You Thin.

Denise,

Saying prayers.

Judy,

Mothers! Can't live with 'em. Can't live with 'em.

My life is so hectic right now. I don't usually like to do bunches of nights in a row out of the house activities. I still have two more nights (Symphony and book discussion), one night home, then more again.

DH won't be available to go to Toledo for Easter (if an invite comes - my family NEVER plan) and I'll have to make sure that I'm rested enough to drive that far.

Linda

Well, now the shoe is on the other foot.

Mother has my bad cold and it is hitting her harder than it did me because she doesn't eat.

She fell in the bathroom and it took me over an hour to get her up and back in the bed because she did not want me to call daddy (who was in the basement) to help. I finally did call him and we got her in the bed but she still has not eaten anything today.

I think she should go to the hospital (at least they could feed her thru her veins) but she says no.

I called my sister (she lives one hour north of here) but she is not going to come "unless things get worse". She spends maybe a total of 24 hours a year down here around them.

Ohhh! I hate my mother when she does something like this!

Last night around 11pm she came to the bedroom door and said "Did one of you fall?" We said no and she left. Daddy does have a balance problem & falls but I had not heard anything & I thought he was already in bed.

Just now, he mentioned that he went to bed early last night but woke up and went to the kitchen for a snack. He has diabetes and sometimes his sugar gets low at night. He said he fell while trying to cross the dining room in the dark. It takes him a long time to get up by himself. He is like a turtle that lands on its back.
I am sure mother knew it was him that had fallen when we said neither of us did. She has let it be known that if he falls she will not help him get up

quote:

Originally posted by GoingSkiing:
Don't know anything. Big sign on the wall that said in a nice way, "Don't even bother asking the tech anything because s/he won't tell you anyway and just go home and your doctor will call you." But one down.

I hate the waiting part between the test and hearing from the doctor--ugh. As for the "don't bother asking" thing--when I had my echocardiogram a year or so ago, I was really worried, because my endo didn't say WHY he was sending me for it. He just listened to my heart during my routine yearly visit for thyroid and said "Here, go get an echo."

So I'm REALLY scared and worried as I'm having the thing and, as the tech is walking me out, she took pity on me (I didn't ask her anything, but I was probably giving her the pathetic puppy-dog eyes) and said "It's okay--don't worry. You can buy green bananas." And it took me half the way home before I figured out what she meant. LOL That was sweet.