I'm No Domestic Goddess

 I'm 15 Unpublished Posts ahead now, with shortening them, that's a new Record for me.  And Crazy... but, you know... consider the Source. *LOL and Winks*  I could be gone for a Fortnite now and you'd never know.  *Smiles and Winks*   The Grandson and my Brother got in touch with me to see if I have more results or information, I don't yet, I didn't mean to make them anxious, but I have unintentionally.  Everyone here needed to know for obvious reasons, but then I didn't want Family not here feeling like they were omitted and left out of the Loop of knowing.  So I'd rather they hear it from me and when the rest of the Family know.

  My Brother is still Dealing with all his Bad Health News, he's just more used to it than me, he takes it in his stride, no matter how grim and ominous, and it always has been for him.  He's got Specialists that literally now tell him they don't even know why he's still Alive, it baffles them, coz he shouldn't be.  *LOL*  He just fully lives in the Moment and enjoys whatever Life he has left.  The way he sees it now, he's Outlived so many Expiration Dates they've given him for Decades now, that he just doesn't Care to have them give him yet another one.  I think he has the Right attitude and outlook.

I had wanted to talk to him longer but The Man was interrupting our Call and needing Attention for the new Wound he has no idea how he got.  My Brother could tell it was competing for my Attention, and it would be futile for me to explain I was on a Call to him and expect any compliance by The Man that it could wait.  His Owie would still be there on his damned Foot and how the Hell he got it would still be as much a Mystery.  I just Hope it Heals and doesn't require Medical intervention and Home Care or it will disrupt his other Treatment Plan for Cardiac Rehab, which will be lengthy as it is, just like last time he ended up with Wound Care taking the Priority until it finally Healed.  *Le Sigh*

The Son asked how in Hell his Dad had injured himself Twice in one Day when he hasn't done anything or gone anywhere to have had an injury?!  And we keep him closely monitored and Safe, yet the moment you aren't Eyes On him, now he's got hurt somehow!!!  It's been minor but it can become major, so you can't ignore even a small thing.   I can't even begin to speculate or say, HOW it happens, I have No Words.  And so it goes with The Man all of the time lately.  This is even on the Top of his Foot, about the size of a Dime, no idea how he did that?!  He had Socks on all day and said he got it when he took his Socks off but doesn't know how?  I didn't see it before he had his Socks on tho'.

We can't keep his Toenails trimmed enuf either, they're growing like Weeds, The Daughter gives him Pedicures but the VA want us bringing him to their Podiatrist for Care.  It's just a long way to go and difficult to get in on an Appointment, almost more Trouble than it's worth... just to get his Toenails clipped.   And one time he pretended to take a Shower, put Socks on so I couldn't see he still had dirty Feet coz he hadn't actually gotten in to the Shower I ran for him!!!  So when we got to the VA Podiatrist I was horrified to see that when they took his Socks off, his Feet were filthy from walking Barefoot around the House!

Both Docs told me they'd seen worse, so there must be some really filthy dirty Footed Veterans, coz they could see how upset I got with him.  He confessed he'd only pretended to take a Shower coz he really didn't WANT to take one!!!  Who fucking does that?!   And then he said it was coz he had JUST had one already, so he didn't want me making him take another one!  Which, he hadn't, and I told the Docs that with the Dementia and TBI, sometimes now he either makes things up, or actually thinks and Believes he just did something that he hasn't done, or hasn't done in a longer period of time.  They said they realize that and Self Care, or even Caregivers providing Care, becomes compromised due to it.  They Fight you and everything becomes a running Battle.

I choose my Battles wisely, but personal hygiene, being safe and sanitary, is a big one to me, you must practice it whether you want to or not.   And for those with Cognitive Decline, Brain Damage, or some forms of Serious Mental Illness, they don't WANT to and will Resist any efforts to make them or coax them into doing it with consistency.  If they didn't have a vigilant Caregiver I swear they would rarely, if ever, practice decent hygiene, safety, or sanitary living.  Battling over it with them can be a constant and they get very defensive and contrary about it.  The Man right now doesn't want his Hair or Beard cut, so he looks practically Homeless and unkempt all the time.  Coz he doesn't wanna Comb either one, so it always looks like he just Invented something.  *Eye Roll*   It is his Hair and Beard.

Even changing Clothing can be challenging and he won't voluntarily do it. Coz he wants to wear the same items over and over again, and swears he did JUST Change and they are clean and changed and not what he already had on.  Tho' we all can see that's not True.   So I have to Spirit them away when he takes them off.  Oh, and insist he wear something different to Bed, or I swear he'd even Sleep in the same things he wore all Day for Days on End if you let him... and replace them with something Fresh and Clean.  He gets Mad too about it, you'd think you were making an unreasonable request that isn't for his own good.  I'm more delicate about Finessing it, Princess T will just flat out tell him, Grandpa, you smell Bad, go take a Shower, Change, and Freshen Up!  You Smell "Old" and you're making a Room Smell "Old"!  *LOL*

Becoz she's so blunt about it, he is perhaps feeling a bit of Shame and complying, but mostly, I don't think he truly Cares?   We're always just One Question away, on an Eval Questionairre, from them saying they have to send him to Psyche due to his Answers, rather than just addressing the Medical Issues.  And sometimes I think mebbe they should, but I'd be worried about his Safety and Care in a Ward for those with Serious Cognitive Decline.  As well as the Safety of everyone else if he felt he was being held Prisoner and against his Will, so had PTSD Episodes really bad then, thinking he was a POW or they were trying to Kill him and he had to Escape or Neutralize a Threat.  They know my concerns and don't want that Liability and Risk either.  His Records do mention what he was Trained for.

Anyway, Today will be in Real Time, his 1st actual Day of Cardiac Rehab and I'll bring him up there but leave and see how that goes for him?  I've got to ensure he GETS there and doesn't get disoriented or lost in the Hospital, but, I'm not staying for his whole Regimen, they call you when they need pickup.  I'll be right across the Parking Lot at our Antique Mall working on our Spaces there, so, it's very convenience and serves dual Purpose for me and for him.  So, his 35 Cardiac Rehab Visits means I'll get a lot done at the Showroom and Locked Case at the Antique Mall and be in there more than I have in ages.  Well, until and unless my Medical Issues Sideline me, still waiting on Results of what I'll be going thru???  Our Calendar will be Crazy tho', for the whole Summer at the very least.  *Ugh*

I already got the Granddaughter to Work and I smell Coffee brewing so The Son is up and I've got to get him to Work before I take The Man to his Cardiac Rehab.  It was all staggered fine, her at 6:00 a.m., The Son at 8:00 a.m. and The Man's Cardiac Rehab at 9:30 a.m..  We have to try to coordinate shit constantly like that tho' and sometimes it's not as smoothly transitioned.  And if I get sidelined to where I can't Drive, it's Chaos then coz nobody else is Licensed!  The Two Schizophrenics can Drive but aren't Legally allowed to due to extent of Disabling Factors.  But The Daughter would do it in an Emergency and just risk being sent to Mental Health Court again.  *LOL*  The Son's Autism, unlike Dustin Hoffman's Character in "Rain Man", isn't severe enuf he cannot drive, and is Licensed, but has Restrictions right now so he doesn't wanna violate any of that, nor do I.  And Princess T doesn't know how to Drive yet.

The Man is very Anxious about his Rehab, so he's already up and crashing around with his Walker like he's in a Demolition Derby, so it's good everyone is already Awake or at Work or he'd be Waking everyone up!  He's got The News on loudly coz he's got very damaged Hearing from his Military Service, too much time as a Sniper in the Marines and even longer working around Jets in the Air Force trashed his Hearing.  Plus, he's 74, so Hearing would have been bound to go by now anyway and he's too stubborn to wear Hearing Aids, I don't think he WANTS to be able to Hear what we're saying to him?!!!!!  Or anyone else for that matter!? *Bwahahahaha*

The Daughter is up cooking everyone Breakfast using the Steak Leftovers from her Brother's Birthday Bash at the Restaurant, making Steak and Egg Burritos out of some of it.   She's a very good Cook and I enjoy being Cooked for.  The Man used to be the one who prepared excellent Meals but after his TBI he couldn't be alone in a Kitchen due to Safety Issues and forgot how to do just about everything, I miss his Cooking.  I have never been a Culinary Jedi in spite of my Dad being a Master Chef and my Younger Brother inheriting that Gene, it skipped right over me.  *Le Sigh*  I Admire anyone who has the skillset tho' and enjoys Cooking.  I just don't like preparing Meals and am not good at it, and I'm no Domestic Goddess either.  Nor do I wanna be.  *Winks*

 I had Great Earning Potential, The Man used to say, coz I always made more Money than him at our Careers.  And he was Cool with that.  *Bwahahahaha*  Believe me, some Men aren't, if their Wives or Girlfriends are more Successful at Earning than them, some Guys do not like it at all and feel somehow threatened by it.  So Dating was always Challenging that way for me, coz I was a Corporate Executive of Major Financial Institutions since I was 23 Years Old and my Star kept Rising after that.  One of my Young Female Friends at the DA's Office was a Superior Court Judge and Black, so she said that it was very Challenging for her Dating once they knew her Career and Position.  So, she was Single and I do Wonder if she ever did find Mr. Right?  She is still a Judge and her surname has never changed.  Beautiful and Wonderful Personality, Super Smart and Successful, she's the Whole Package tho'.

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Blessings, Love and Light from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian