Aging Parent & the Covid Chronicles ~ 1/16/22

What a whirlwind week. My mother in law isn’t doing well at all. Two hospital visits in short succession. She is back home as of this writing but for how long? Did you know when you call EMS, you get taken to the hospital even if you don’t need it? Yep, EMS cannot make that determine only a doctor can so if you call, you get carted in. Otherwise there could be a malpractice claim or some such. I’m not quite sure how I feel about that. The second hospital run on Friday was for a nose bleed. Yep. There was no need to take her in at all but in she went anyway because in a panic PoPo called them.

Then yesterday, B and Pony were going to go to our place in the hill country for some r&r but they were called back for another emergency. PoPo was frantic, rightfully so but he called B instead of the ambulance. Took three of them to get her into a more upright position. She was having trouble breathing but it turned out to be a panic attack. She took our last at home covid test and when she saw she was negative, she calmed down. She was sure she got “IT” at the hospital on Friday. And she could have still. We’ll have to wait and see. Can’t wait for Wednesday when we can order our tests for at home – four per household.

The nice part (if there’s anything nice about the Rona daze) is we minimize our exposure. Lulu is a permanent remote worker. Pony’s company is taking a wait and see approach and he’s at home until end of the month at least. Me? I get to choose and until this uptick in cases dies down, I’m staying put. B is the only one going out to work right now. All four of us are double vaccinated and boosted and all four of us wear KN95 masks if indoors in a peopley place. B even wears his mask on the job which is outdoors but still peopley. We’ve come to the conclusion of not if but when and it’ll come in through B. Or who knows maybe all the precautions will work to keep things at bay?

Back to MoMo. She needs to be in a nursing home. When the subject was broached, she came unglued. We stopped the convo immediately lest she stroke out right there in front of us. Thing is she NEEDS 24/7 care. B can’t keep running over there in the middle of the night because she incoherent and PoPo can’t get help her. PoPo is not back to 100% yet from his broken leg either. He’s frustrated that he cannot do everything for her but sad fact is he can’t. And even if he was in better shape himself, nursing is a profession requiring lots of training. PoPo is not a nurse. This is groundhog day. PoPo’s mom sweet Tutu was put in a nursing home because they realized she needed more care than they could give her in their home. MoMo was fine with that. Now that she needs the same type of care, she’s being ornery.

Of course there are people out there thinking how bad we are for not keeping her at home. Calling us selfish even. Maybe we are being selfish? Or maybe we’re feeling guilty? MoMo has never been an easy person to deal with. Let’s just say it’s complicated.

Here’s a plug for long term care insurance. Just do it! B and I have it since we were in our 20s. People think the coverage is for older folk only but anyone can need long term care. Think car wrecks and such. Now all we need is to get our pre-arranged funeral plans in order.

I’ve already told the kids if I get this way … like MoMo … to just drop me off in the hill country somewhere on our property. I’ll wonder around until nature takes its course. They can even assist me if they’d like by pushing me off the highest point on the place down into the ravine. Just make sure my death is instant. Doh! Humor even dark humor is what is called for right now. This too shall pass. God willing and the creek don’t rise.

As always, more to come.

Ramblings ~ 1/3/22

Since I swore off FB for the month of January, I’ll be bothering you fine folks more often. And truth be told, my posts here on WP were about to pick up anyway because of Write Club and #JusJoJan. I had planned to continue with my usual fodder +

I may or may not have told ya, I ordered a new phone through my work for $1.07. Yeppers 99 cents plus tax. It came via fedex the very next day and not because I asked for that, it’s just how they roll. I’m a luddite and even though Apple is for luddites (as phones go) I’m experiencing a learning curve. I want my home button back dang it and why oh why, does the cord come without the plug and of the wrong size so it doesn’t fit the former plug? Anywho, I didn’t try to set it up until AFTER my therapy appointment this morning. I didn’t want to mess with my ability to log into work either. So after the dust settled, I did the transfer which went swimmingly … not … or kind of … shall we say all’s well that ends well.

I got my special Multi Factor Authentication aka MFA (not to be confused with Master of Fine Arts) set up quickly enough but I couldn’t get my work email on my phone which I MUST have to work from anywhere. The poor help desk guy really tried his best. I had to end our cellular call to download the latest software. As that was going on my friend and coworker told me about her not quite as good as my bargain but she got the newer phone bargain which she also switched over today. She was able to assist me with getting my email to my phone which allows me to Zoom with the best of ’em from anywhere and everywhere. Bingo-bango, gtg.

Crisis averted except I incorrectly assumed the photos would transfer over as they’re all in the cloud anyways. My new phone cache is empty 😦 I just tried to import from old phone to desktop but FAIL. Guess I will begin again as Alice says … or does she says let’s begin at the beginning … or ah fuhgeddaboudit.

Last thing, finding a good therapist is not for the faint of heart. This gal today was ok … just ok … I think I shocked her. I set up an appointment in two weeks anyway and will give her one more try before moving on to someone … rinse and repeat … until I find someone who clicks.

As always, more to come.

What Day Is It? ~ 1/1/22

Well I answered my own question with the title of this little ditty about Jack and Diane … two American kids … Huh? What? Wait a minute?

The week between Christmas and the New Year was all a blurrrrrrrr. I’m flummoxed, gobsmacked, and any other assorted varieties of taken aback. <gasp> I’ve got a flat tire.

I need a routine dammit! Something that pulls me out of my headspace which is dark and dreary as of late. I need more vitamin D3! Apparently that will save me … if I believe every fool thing that I read and I do … usually … which is why I’m often confused.

Despite being double jabbed and boosted, I’m certain omicron is in my near future. I still wear a mask when I’m out but I think my only surety is to lock down and I haven’t exactly done that. While I may be judicious about where I go, one can never be too careful.

Others in the household have to go about their daily lives too. B for example has to take his mother to her doctor Monday. He could bring anything home with him. But she cannot be left rotting away, poor lady needs help. Her foot is mangled from diabetic/kidney complications. She no longer walks. Her pain is constant. I’m no doctor but if they recommend amputating, I wouldn’t be surprised. And she’s quite depressed, understandably.

So, with that I think we should all just go into hibernation. Head in the sand, ostrich time! Wake us up when it’s over won’t ya?

As always, more to come.

All’s Well That Ends Well ~ 12/28/21

… and we’re not talking ’bout Willie Shakes’ play from 1623. I released the hounds for nothing. Look HERE for a re-cap. Well maybe not nothing. This experience took almost a whole day; that is time we’ll never get back and a lost floating holiday for the kidlet. But he is fortunate that a floating holiday was even an option. He worked from the office all by his lonesome today because the rotation of A – Team and B – Team is on hiatus due to the Omni monster.

Despite getting an email stating the delivery of the new phone would be 1/26/22, we got a Fedex email at 2:00 am while we were snoring that changed the delivery to no later than 8:00 pm today. Means I started tracking that bad boy. Phone arrived in SAT at 8:14 AM and was promptly out for delivery. I signed up for status updates as the phone moved along the route. Ultimately FedEx beat their promised time by five hours. Thank you Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

As I sit and write this post, the new phone is pulling in the cloud data, breathing back to life. The old phone with its’ defective LCD screen is packed up and ready to be shipped back within the requisite 10 days. I have pictures of everything in case they try to claim water damage or physical damage because there was none!! Just google it, known defect. But no sense getting riled up again. Whew! Time for a deep sigh of relief.

I’m saddened that we are reduced to a puddle by a thin rectangular jezebel who holds our life in her hands. Okay, now I’m being the queen comma drama and MSU = making stuff up. Or am I? Because we’ve come to this point haven’t we? I should come up with a better analogy though. Bad boy over jezebel. Why does negative sentiment always have to be female? Ugh, but that’s a rant for another day.

As always, more to come.

Release the Hounds ~ 12/27/21

WP people help a sister out. I need to vent with a capital V over some seriously champagne variety problems. A cell phone is a necessity. Yeah I said it. Much like water and electricity. Not to make calls (though the original intended use is still beneficial) but to connect to work.

Brief backstory. Pony’s alarm on his phone went off this morning like usual but he couldn’t turn it off. The screen was blank. He kept punching and what would’ve been the alarm app and eventually it stopped. He did all the diagnostic things because he can but still nothing. Blank screen though he could feel the haptics (whatever the heck that is) working.

We went to an ATT store, only to be told we don’t do warranties in store, you have to go online. Due to the work situation, we explained we needed the phone today! Oh so sorry but were told no worries, the warranty department can expedite.

Back home, online … many hours later and ugh! Guess how that went? C’mon three guesses. Did they do right us by? Nope. They did not.

We were transferred and lied to and transferred some more. At the last transfer, we were put back to the beginning of the queue. This final liar, a newbie, still wet behind his ears, but who shall remain nameless, referred us to uBreakiFix as an alternative to waiting. ATT (through Jesus) without affiliation to do so, claims uBreakiFix would repair or replace right there on the spot.

Well we made an appointment with a branch of uBreakiFix that was right next to a different ATT store so we could hop on over there afterwards if necessary. The tech at uBreakiFix was gobsmacked. Uh no, we cannot replace your phone. We are not a retail store but yes if under warranty, we will fix it.

Yay! And why was this not told to us at the beginning?!?!? We’d understand an immediate repair option. Tech further explains, this is common occurrence where the LCD screen goes out. A KNOWN DEFECT. Everything else about the phone is working but yeah, he is not surprised, in fact his phone did the same.

Sadly, he does not have the part in the right color. And mix matching colors is not allowed for parts/inventory etc… and consumers don’t want that either. Samsung should plan for desperate consumers who just want to go back to work. Let us mix would ya?! We called the two other corporate branches of uBreakiFix and they all have the same issue … no part in the same color and no they cannot use the bronze or white instead of black.

One option was to buy off the contract and get a new phone @ 2k! Ommfg!!! Or go back to the warranty division and jump through their rings of fire. Which is what we did. I made the poor girl spell her name and type in specifically that this claims is not water or physical damage but rather a KNOWN defect where LCD screens give up the ghost. They are expediting; the new phone should arrive in 1 to 2 days. We have 10 days to return the original phone or there will be a $1299 plus tax penalty. The mofos. But all in all, tragedy avoided right?

Well I can’t leave well enough alone. I found a franchise uBreakiFix (don’t use non corporate says the tech at the first place, they are not as good). Well maybe but their Yelp beat your Yelp, take that 4.1, franchisee is 4.7!! And this franchisee has 3 in the right color. I’m going there tomorrow and if they will honor the 20 days left in the warranty, then we’ll do the ole LCD screen switcheroo. If not, it is $289 and we’ll say screw that noise and wait for the new phone.

Hindsight being 20/20, we should’ve looked at all the places to see if any had the part. We quit too soon. Still overwhelmed with options. Still anxious to get this resolved. Meanwhile the world burns. Small potatoes as “they” whoever “they” are say.

Ok, lemme let ya go. I’ve ranted too much already.

As always, more to come.

Sunday Reflections Part Two: The Post Christmas Edition ~ 12/26/21

Aaaahh. I’m sitting here enjoying a cuppa even though the weather is too warm for hot tea. I have this thing, hot tea only when it’s cold outside. Otherwise I left my tea steep until it’s room temperature. But the day is a gray humid drizzle so in honor of that, hot tea is called for to break the spell of the hum drums. I used my electric kettle for which I’m eternally grateful.

The kettle actually belongs to Pony for his coffee but after last year’s February Snowmageddon, he’s discontinued using it so I claimed it for myself. Hard to believe that just a little less than a year ago we were without running water for several days. Something during that time flipped a switch in his brain. The habit was broken. Good thing my addiction lives on.

Due to medical conditions, I limited coffee to one cup a week. Then last week seeing as it was the holidays, I leapt off the wagon, and drank coffee daily. I’m paying for it now and have begun my detox with this fantastic green tea elixir. Amazing what small life changes can do. I’ll stay on the wagon. I’ve done it before and will do it again.

I’m replaying our Christmas Eve in my mind. While it wasn’t a repeat of “what the hell was that?” from 2020, it was different. We jokingly called it low key hot ass Christmas. Oh joy! And yesterday Lulu and I spent the day alone. B and Pony went deer hunting.

Alrighty. Enough blathering about. I’ve caught up on #SoCS though I’ll go back later to see if anything new comes in. And I’ve got angry music to listen to as well. And with all the time in the world, I’m going to keep reading If It Bleeds by Stephen King. The title comes from the old newspaper expression, if it bleeds, it leads. Yep yesterday and ripped from today’s headlines all rolled into one. I think his short stories are the best! I know he’s not everyone’s cuppa but I’m able to separate. His words paint vivid pictures in my head and characters who come to life. Yep just what the doctor ordered.

As always more to come.

Thursday Thoughts ~ 12/23/21

P.S. Yesterday’s post may seem to be out of order but leaving this previously scheduled post anyway.

Today’s rambling might be a confession or maybe I’ll continue to hold things close to the vest. I told my friend that I felt like a liar. My guilt is overwhelming me. She replied, it is not a lie if you choose not to disclose sensitive info of a personal nature to the world. I said, to me this is a lie by omission. I have been lying by omission my whole life. Her response was baloney! What an awesome friend. She made me feel much better. Though I need help believing her.

Mostly I’m the blabby type but this one thing was a secret that went deep to my core. And for those who knew my secret because it was shared on my behalf, have since forgotten. Odd how when the secret doesn’t concern you, the memory fades quickly. Kind of like gossip, flash in the pan and gone. Once again, I’m reminded that I am NOT the sun! Dammit! But I wanna be the sun. Revolve around ME people, revolve all around ME!!

I have an attachment disorder. Self diagnosed but I know that I have one. I do one of two things. I distance and distrust like the plague or I smother and trust unconditionally without validation of any kind. No inbetween. Both extremes are dangerous. I’m fodder for con artists. I’m also blessed beyond belief that B is a good guy. My antenna is broken but thankfully where he is concerned, I don’t need one. Guess my guardian angel was watching when she put us together.

The Twitter experiment was actually a success. I have had a chance to reflect and overall very positive. Like WP. This community is welcoming. Parts of twitter land may be the mean streets but I followed groups of the same ilk. My people, accepted me without question. I had people! First time for everything y’all. They too must have attachment disorders to be so gracious and gentle with me. Still on the fence about writing out the details since the raw freshness makes the story scattered. You ask, how is that different from anything else you write Jilly? Well it isn’t but, …

Okay, that’s a wrap … for now. I’ll be back though. Like a bad penny. Constantly turning up. Haha!!

As always, more to come.

Howdy Y’all!! You’re In For A Treat

… well now that I grabbed your attention, turn back fast or you’ll be sorely disappointed. The treat is for me getting some ferocious thoughts out of my head. This post will likely make no sense. There could be a snippet or two of clarity in the fog but basically this is me like a cotton headed ninny muggin. Truth be told the movie Elf annoys the ever loving crap out of me but then I did cry at the end. Sap that I am.

Okay, so here’s the deal. I am not my mother. Nope, she is she and I am me. I do not have to repeat her path. Genetics might tell me otherwise but genetics are also a wildcard. Example, one has a 1 in 4 chance to inherit whatever trait. Predisposition is not a guarantee. Only 25% likely, or 10% or 80%. Wildcard you see! I need to remember that! I’ve been in the insurance game my whole life. We deal in probabilities and statistics. What is the likelihood of X occurring and all that jazz.

The most comforting response came from Twitter where despite what one may think is not all that bad when you pick what you follow. I am out there anonymous baring my soul. A kind stranger wrote in reply to my angst: In your specific case, I would say that your mother’s experiences are separated from yours by time and experience. They aren’t a given. Was all it took one stranger to change my mind?

Well no. He corroborates what I know to be true. Years of patterns and statistics. Could this mean I escaped? Maybe? But what about my Lulu? I have subtly hinted at her issues, which are all resolved in this moment, yet always ready to rear their ugly heads again one day. Samesie for her right? Not a given. We can fight, fight, fight against biology. You rat bastard!!!!! Even if the effort is futile.

Segway to Charge of the Light Brigade. “Half a league, half a league, half a league onward,” I love that poem! Tennyson speaks to me. Yep, the queen comma drama has made her appearance with us today.

Okay, enough steam was let loose. I’m better. For now. Might pop off again later. Feels good folks to finally let the dam break and the chips fall where they may. RIP momma, you did the best you could.

As always, more to come.

Edit – The Big Reveal ~ 12/5/21

Mrs. Grinch has left the building. Pies are overrated. Lol. Or maybe we’ll still do both seeing as the crust is chilling. But for now, drum roll puhleese.

Rat-a-tat-tat. Rat-a-tat-tat.

Our tree! And more importantly our nativity. This is a teaser because the medium sized tree with lights & memory laden ornaments will be done by dusk. I have a few heirloom ornaments over 60 years old. ❤

2021 – The year we almost didn’t decorate

Now for a funny story posted to faux book but I should have posted here instead.

This happened yesterday (12/2/21).

Scene: Little girl with mom and baby sibling in a stroller passing by B in the grocery store.

Little girl: Mommy is that Santa Claus?

B just waved, said ”ho, ho, ho” and kept walking

He says he hopes she thought that he was Santa because of his beard not his belly

Who knew lil Jilly was Mrs. Claus?!?

So, … We were inspired to decorate, though we still went minimal. Since we never truly know what tomorrow may bring, why the hell not?!?!? I even made my own ugly sweater for a Zoom work event later this week. And best of all the turntable is juiced up and ready to go. Glad to have three albums from St. MM Glee Club which can be played on a loop this year.

As always, more to come.

P.S. we did both 🤩

Tidbits ~ 11/27/21

Well it started Thursday when Lulu Belle rushed home from festivities with the boyfriend. She was ill. Physically but mentally made worse. Gripped in worry that she would somehow relapse on this annual anniversary, I did nothing but tender a glass on ginger ale. Zipped my lips and fretted. I had already purchased movie tickets but was prepared to cancel. We retreated to the safety of our cocoons to sleep it all away.

Friday was as if nothing happened. We went to our matinee of Ghostbusters the Afterlife. A cute little movie that I recommend. The Easter eggs and cameos made my day. I even cried but to be fair I cry easily. For Harold in the credits broke the dam.

We opted to skip popcorn with her unsettled tummy. Amazing really. Food addicts that we are. We rarely skip movie snacks. Which means that after the movie we were both peckish. Leftovers it was, to save taco day for today. We both picked at our lunch. Afterwards, I was down for the count. I’ll spare to gory details but let’s just say I did something I’d turn handstands to avoid doing. My turn for some ginger ale. Of course my crazy mind had me with breakthrough vid. Despite nausea not being a likely symptom. Apologies to anyone who truly had this virus. I don’t make light. I’m just certifiable.

But I guess sleep cures all evils. Two good nights in a row. Today is A-okay. When the other shoe will drop remains to be seen but ever at the ready. I’ve been in self care book mode. Realized today is my second to last vacation day. Aaaahh. Now that’s the stuff. Mental anguish begone. We’ve got no time for you.

As always more to come.