I actually predicted Trump would do something horrible in Venezuela on Christmas Day, because that’s how he rolls, but I guess he couldn’t get it done on time. What a despicable act by our country, but hey, we’re not thinking about the Epstein files anymore.
Except we are. Because we are not stupid, and we are not looking away from any of these crimes. I called my Republican congressman this morning and left a message. Not that he has a spine, but you never know.
Let’s see. News from the mediverse. Dale is doing much better. I don’t think they ever succeeded in getting ahead of his pain, but the pain finally subsided enough for the meds to work effectively. Ha – caught you, you sneaky bastards.
One evening Dale texted me that the meds didn’t put a dent in the pain. I was ready to go to bed, but I flew down to the facility (on my broom) and explained the situation to the charge nurse. We went together to his room, where he was resting comfortably. She asked him where his pain was on the scale, and he said a 2.
The look on her face. The look on my face. I wish I had that moment captured on film. I’m like, you dragged my ass down here for a 2? I’m sure she was thinking the same thing. Anyway, by the next day, the pain mitigation was working well. We shall pretend the other thing didn’t happen.
He has lost close to 10 pounds. While he welcomes the weight loss, this particular diet sucks.
Dale moves about quite nicely with the help of the walker and the physical therapist. He can get in and our of bed with minimal assistance. Sitting still hurts quite a bit, but even that might be improving. Dale is not exactly Communicator of the Year. I had to have a little talk with him about being his own advocate. I’m still there for him, of course, but he has to speak up if he’s in pain or needs something.
The plan is to bring him home Thursday. Lots of moving parts, but I’m confident this whole thing will work. His sister is coming from Maine to help. We like each other a lot, but you know. Family can be hard. We talked about it, and we’re just going to get over it for now. Too many other things to worry about.
I’m really glad she’s coming. She and Dale have a strong bond, and she’s a retired nurse. I will need reinforcements, and she’s exactly the right person to help.
Medicare covers some of the home health assistance, and I am planning to supplement that with private help, at least for a couple of weeks. The risk of fall is still pretty high, and we want to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Since he fell off an extension ladder and is flat on his back in a nursing facility, watching the clock to see when the next pain pill arrives, hoping the meds don’t cause a complete bowel obstruction, listening to his roommate cry and peeing into a bedside urinal, I suggested we get rid of the ladder.
He said, oh, no, that’s a good ladder. I know what I did wrong.
Dude, are you smoking crack? I said you would actually get on that thing again??????? He said yes, of course. So, I asked my buddy at ChatGPT what to do. The bot said to respect his autonomy but find another place for the ladder until he’s capable of making a rational decision. I was going to ask a neighbor to store it in his garage, but everybody around here maximizes their garage space.
Instead, I found a hidey hole in our garage. Mostly out of sight. You hardly know it’s there. May it rest in peace.
What I’m watching
I’ve been watching The Diplomat on Netflix, but I’m not sure I’ll continue. We worked in an embassy in Cairo, so the diplomatic setting is nostalgic, and of course, I love all the relationship stuff, but the politics is kind of exhausting and maybe a little too relevant right now? Still, I do think the British foreign secretary is hot. Seems to me the ambassador agrees, and I’d like to be there when that happens.
Last night I switched to BritBox and saw there’s a new season of Shetland, so I watched that. I like Vera, but she sort of wears on me at times.
What I’m reading
I had a nice stack of books from the library and returned them all. I just can’t concentrate right now.
What I’m eating
Not much, I will tell you that. I left the facility a little early yesterday and had time to cook something other than a quesadilla or burrito. I was planning to stop at the grocery store, but it was pouring rain, and I wasn’t up for it. It was like an episode of Chopped. I found enough stuff to make my favorite Indian comfort food, Keema. It’s basically a spicy ground meat and spinach stew in coconut milk.
I found bison in the freezer. I ran out of spinach the night before, but I had a tub of the spinach-arugula mix. I didn’t have fresh tomatoes, but I had a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. I had all the spices and one can of coconut milk. I was missing fresh jalapenos but went out in the rain to Dale’s dying jalapeño plant and found a couple in good shape. I even had homemade naan in the freezer.
That’s the best meal I’ve had since this whole thing went down. Drank a beer with that, sucked down a bunch of water, popped a half of a sleep gummy and was asleep by 7:30.
I suggest a bicycle lock through the ladder will stop him for awhile versus looking for a hiding place that he will find. He will be mad about the bicycle lock too, but oh well.
I read him your comment, and he laughed.
Trade in metal ladder for wood and then cut for firewood. Problem solved.
That is the best plan.
I’d love to have seen your reaction when Dale said the pain was a “2”!!!
A pain level of 2 is the baseline for my wife and I these days.
Seriously, 2 is the baseline.
“I know what I did wrong.” I’m sure my husband would say the same thing. Nothing above a small step stool around here for that reason. Thank you for an enjoyable post with all that you’re going through, and I hope Dale continues to improve and you keep your sanity!
Yes, he said he rushed, and next time he would do it different. But he has since spent another week in the nursing facility, and I’m finding his expectations are evolving!
I can’t figure out why men of a certain age love their ladders so much. Even though mine knows my ladder rules, he was planning on climbing one to hoist large totes filled with Xmas decor up into our attic. I said no way, and to get our grandson over here to do it! So glad that homecoming will be on Thursday. In the meantime I suggest you get Door Dash to deliver some groceries. Great job calling your congressman, I would too but mine is a Dem.
The ladder thing is nuts. Dale was getting stuff down from a high place, but it’s the same thing. No!
Kudos to you for calling. Not sure I could call my congressmen–my language would not be appropriate. The pain story made me chuckle, but I imagine I’d be ticked if it happened to me. Hoping everything goes well at home. I like the bicycle lock suggestion.
I’ve been doomscrolling ever since Trump got relected, and this is the first time I am actually afraid to look.
Interesting that you have a Republican congressman… is his seat in danger with the re-drawn districts? If so, maybe he will be more responsive?
Good that Dale’s pain was “about a 2,” although I think I would have been tempted to up it to about a 6 at that point.
His seat IS in danger, so we shall see if that changes anything.
I was told by a couple of people that you should always exagerate the pain number, but that’s a double-edged sword.
I’m happy that things are moving along for Dale. I bet he’ll progress much faster once he’s home. You’ll have some support too which should take a lot of stress off your shoulders.
I’m lucky that all of our NM Reps and Senators are Democrats. They do what they can with their hands mostly tied these days. I hope that changes by the end of this year.
Thinking good thoughts for Dale and you!
Here’s hoping it goes well! I also think he will progress faster at home. The SNF is a tough ride.
We have two Dems as senators, but an R for congress. This is kind of a conservative area by California standards.
I have laughed out loud at something you`ve written before. But this was the first time I laughed out loud at a commenter. The bicycle lock on the ladder…
I am currently in a ladder battle with a spouse also. This two-story tall ladder at his parents` house, wrapped in tarp since the day some years ago when my father-in-law had a stroke while up on top of it and had to then carefully descend it. I want to get rid of it, because my position is that no one I know is going to climb it ever again. My husband goes completely silent every time I bring it up. And that`s where the issue is stuck in a holding pattern.
I read him your comment, and he got a good laugh out of it. Crazy stuff. Dale also goes silent in situations like this.
I missed some blog reading during the holidays and am sorry to hear about Dale’s accident. What a rotten way to spend the holidays for both of you. I worked in nursing homes while in college 40 years ago and frankly they haven’t changed much. Sadly most of us will wind up spending some time in one before we die. Our healthcare system is a mess overall, but nursing homes in particular lack any real incentives for improvement. Sending healing thoughts and good vibes for both of you!
Well said! After being there, I don’t think I could ever work in one, even knowing I could well end up in one. Thanks for your healing thoughts. We are grateful.