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Home Work


SandyCaregiver

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Much like Debbie, I'm scurrying to get as much as possible in good shape before another winter. There has been many estimate appts with roof/gutter/tree people, and I am SOOOOO sick of walking around the house with yet another, pointing out all the problems. The choices are made, the appointments are made. Now all I need is for it NOT to rain on work days.

 

Crew to take down monster dead tree and other smaller things set for the 15th. Crew to replace roof, gutters, facia, sophits, on the 20th.

 

That still leaves me with the water softener problem, the bad drainage problem that allowed 6" of ice on my drive last winter - which was why I could not get him out of here to go to hotel when our house flooded. What happens is we are lower than across the street, and when it all begins to melt, it comes over HERE, then it can't run off, and all refreezes on my driveway that night... each night. Which brings up the OTHER situation: the great fear that in another horrible horrible winter, my main drain could freeze again and flood my house again. I will be ordering things call NEW PIG from amazon, that control water leakage and placing them around the water heater (drain is under water heater) - actually lots of them around the water heater. If anything flies out of that drain, I expect to contain it BEFORE it ruins my bedroom carpet again. I will also put them around the washing machine, so in a drain freeze, washer water will not soak the dining room, tv room and study. But alas, we are broke this year. I still hope to get the new pigs, but the drive way drainage problem....hmmmmm..... I'll just have to work on really howing out the little drain runs I made coming off the side of the drive that let the water off the driveway.

 

Oh yeah, and I have to resolve the problem about how they built a fence and planted trees and built a deck, all in such a way that there is NO access to the backyard. This time they will be going thru my neighbors yard and taking out part of my fence, but I don't want it to keep happening. I wouldn't let it happen now, if it weren't for fear the tree will clobber my house. They will need to bring in cherry picker, crane, saw bench, chipper, too many trucks - 3 ring circus....

 

Oh, I got a my crown put on yesterday in the middle of all this, had a foot appt about a weird place on my foot and got Bob his dental cleaning... which... shows I shouldn't be letting him brush his own teeth after all, unless he would like new false ones :(

 

All this, just takes away from time I spend with Bob doing therapy and such, so I hate losing that time.

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Sandy: I am so thankful that we reroofed and resided the two years before Bruce stroked. I can't imagine being in the middle of moving, setting up a new home, trying to get the other home ready for sale and dealing with stroke. You have remarkable strength, that I know!

 

Do consider a battery powered toothbrush. Best advice I got from Bruce's dentist. It goes for 2 minutes and then shuts off and Bruce knows he has to do two cycles, three times a day. But Bruce had gum disease and major dental surgery before the stroke. I just reminded him that was in his future if he did not maintain.

 

But you start with what has to be dealt with first that you can afford. Your street drainage sure is a mess. I wonder if the city could help you knowing there was a disabled person in the home that might need emergency evacuation. Worth a shot maybe.

 

And I certainly understand the time away from Bob's therapy. After those years of professional PT, OT; I know you don't want him to lose what he has gained. Balance as best you can. Debbie

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He's really dumb at dental care, and always has been.  I once got a water pic and finally had to take it away from him because he kept squirting himself in the eyes with it.  No matter how many times I said, you don't push the button unless it's in your mouth, he would do it anyway - and that was BEFORE his stroke!    And he's no smarter now then he was BEFORE his stroke!

 

I got a Phillips Sonicare for him over a year ago, but even I couldn't use it on him then, because he just couldn't follow my commands.   We have started to use it now, though.   I brush his teeth after we eat, but the one at bedtime, I use the sonicare on him.   Not really the full amount of time, but something is better than nothing, and it's what he can tolerate.   Bob is not really able to do an a battery one himself, because of his sequencing problems.  

 

I'm pretty sure the city won't help with the run off problem, because we are out of city limits.   So, my next year's list will be fix fence, fix drainage, fix water softener (if possible... I really don't know, it SEEMS to work now, as the water feels slippery, so why does calcium keep coming out of the hot water faucet?  no, it's not plastic, I can tell the difference)

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Sandy, you  are on the right track with getting things done before winter comes in.  Living in Florida, we had so cool day, but today it is hot!   I am tired of it but hubby loves it( he was born here).  

 

Yvonne

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Sandy, I have the same problem with getting Larry to use his electric toothbrush.  He also has gum disease.  I don't know how Debbie gets Bruce to brush the way he does but Larry just won't do it.  I tried to brush him myself with no results.  He does try to use the floss.  Every time we go to either the regular dentist or the periodontist, it is expensive - no dental insurance.  He had this problem pre-stroke and so with other healtlh issues, it continues, only it is on my watch. 

 

Julie

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LOL: Sandy, that is exactly what Bruce first did with his water pik and exactly what I said! So funny, or not. He got sick of being wet and finally figured it out. Bruce has the rechargeable one and even his peridontist said "I hate those." Well Doc, it is the only one that will fit on his sink and the only one he can manage himself.

 

I brought the Sonicare to both Bruce's peridontist and regular dentist and told his hygenists, at both places, take him into the bathroom and teach him! There is just something about being taught by a pro and being supervised by Debbie that makes a difference with Bruce. Bruce uses the Dental floss picks. And there is no trick, just perserverance - like with all things stroke - LOL. The estimate for $6000.00 and the hospital stay from his peridontist is still taped to his BR mirror. Nothing gets to Bruce deeper than money - LOL!

 

Sandy: you take things as you can afford them, based on the priority. I know the anxiety of the winter coming, but you are doing the best you can right now. Thinking of you. Debbie

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Tomorrow the cable guy will come to do our phones, internet and tv.   I got an automated call today that reminded me of the appt, and was surprised it said he should be here 3 hours!

 

So.... I am actually using flood money for carpet/flooring replacement to do this roof/gutter thing, and decided to just live with the cut out rug and if I was going to live with it, do it already, and started stuffing things back in my closet, because the cable man will have to go in the bedroom too.   While stuffing and moving things around, I can't believe it, I found ANOTHER roll of carpeting!    Now I have called someone to come out here and look and see if they can patch my old carpet at a reasonable price.   That would be great and end the nasty cement and cut rug bedroom problem.    (as you know, I don't have the wherewithal to gut that room to get all new carpet)  So, he was supposed to call tonight to tell me when he can come.   I have to watch that he doesn't try to come at the same time as the cable guy, since their areas will overlap.

Soooo...

Fri 10 is 3hr cable install.

Maybe Fri night is estimate for carpet.

Wed the 15th is supposed to be the all day tree and more day.

Fri 17th is aphasia support group.

Mon 20th is the several day roof/gutter begining.

Somewhere in the next month or 2, windows should be in to install in the screened in porch.

 

Now the only problem is... the heavy boxes I loaded into the closet, will have to be moved again so the carpet guy can see.... and my hip is so sore from lugging them in there!   Wah!!!!

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