Elder Care Wake-Up Call!

Whew!  I haven't blogged in almost a week!  Lots going on.  My dad fell, hurt his back, went in the hospital in Cape Coral, FL, then into a rehab facility for some physical therapy.  Right now he can't walk so he can't go home.  Mom, turning 90 in February 2011, still drives, cooks and cleans her condo, but really is going to need help handling him from now on.  She can't lift him. It's a bridge we finally have to cross, and me a 14 hour drive away!

Mom was so tired a few days back from all the running to and from the rehab place, she fell asleep while simmering some sausage on the stove, which set off the smoke alarm, which a neighbor heard and called the fire department.  They charged in and asked for her driver's license, then set it down on a table where she couldn't find it.  She called me in a panic that they had taken her driver's license and now she couldn't drive, visit Dad, shop, etc.  She found it the next day but it was a wake-up call for all of us.

How fortunate that my parents have been so independant into their 90's, but now it's time for me to prepare for taking care of them.  John and I have talked a long time about erecting another out-building to house all our pottery, electronics and leather crafting stuff, then refurbish the back wing of our house into an apartment.  Mom has seemed keen on the idea of coming to live with me someday, in case Dad passes before she does, talking of buying a condo in Baton Rouge, nearby.  But without a drivers license, she agrees she'd be better off in an apartment attached to my house.  We both know she could never live with John and me due to our dogs, not to mention our different life-styles and habits.  But an attached apartment could work.  Mom even offered to finance some of the changes.  We'll see how that goes.  Lots to think about and plan for.

So I'm out pacing off yardage and dreaming up remodeling ideas.  My sister in law, Audrey, lives in a house that I truly love the design of, so I am going to take pictures of her crown molding, window and door treatments, and color scheme this upcoming Friday.  It will look just as awesome in my back wing, and without all the trial and error and guesswork, I believe we can do some of the work ourselves!

In addition, we finally brought in some fill dirt (6 tons of it), spread and leveled that, and then bought a pallet of St. Augustine sod to lay over it, trying to fix the horrible dust problem we have going out into the back yard/agility field.  It was hard labor for me and John for 2 days, and my back is feeling it.

Still, we have to practice for the upcoming Kiln trial.  It hasn't rained in over a week and the agility yard is a dust bowl even when I water it.  So Sheryl and I have been meeting at the field.  It's dusty there too, but there are larger grassy patches and a full course set up.

I'm also assisting Kay's Wednesday night Beginners Class.  I bring Maxie and Lucky out a half hour early and we run the advanced course, then after Kay's class I bring them out again for another run.  I'll write about one of Kay's exercises in my next post.