what are you doing right now?

[countrygirl2]

DD and I are ready to go to her dental appointment. I have been asleep off and on for an hour or more.'Will grab her a snack and give her a glass of water to rinse her mouth while in town before she goes in.

I have crossword puzzles and a book.


It's very sunny out today with a high of 62.

Listening to some of the phony accolades for creepy Jordan, just turned down the sound.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Oct 16, 2023 21:51:01 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

We ended up picking Boy up close to the time the vet closes. Which wasn’t their fault, the vet himself had actually called early this afternoon,  what Mister gave them again as my phone number this morning, except it was actually YD’s phone number. My phone number is weird, to the point that if someone doesn’t get the last few digits, even after all these years, I have to start over from the beginning, to get it right lol. YD’s number is similar to mine, with the same digits, so I understand how Mister got them mixed up this morning.

So when we talked to the vet when we went to pick Boy up, he was talking about how Boy clearly has allergies, which we already knew. Me being me, and of little patience, I said yes, we know that, that is why we brought him in a few months ago. At the time, we got him that expensive ass $100 shot that was recommended, but it did not help him at all, so we are open to other, hopefully less expensive, options. And yes, I said it just like that.

They could not find any glass in Boy’s paw either. So they gave him some antibiotics and some steroids that they said should help with his reactions to allergies too. Me still being me, I had questions about the steroids themselves. 

They probably hope Mister is always the one to bring the dogs to see them, because I ask too many questions lol.

But anyway, Boy is resting on the sofa in the den, they said they didn’t see any glass embedded in his paw.

The vet gave Harriet steroids and antibiotics after they cut the growth off her neck (and the pathology came back benign….whew!).  I have never seen an incision close so fast and look so good so fast.  The incision, which was nearly 3”, was in a location on her neck where it couldn’t be bandaged, or they couldn’t put a cone of shame on her to keep her from scratching at it.  

The steroids should help Boy’s allergy too.  They dampen down the inflammatory response, which is what causes redness, swelling and pain as well as allergy symptoms.  The major side effect though, was it makes dogs ravenous (it turned Harpo into an eating machine).  She’s finished her treatment, so her appetite has gone back to merely annoying from obnoxious.

[countrygirl2]

We found out nothing, so can only assume it did not get in the bones or I'm guessing we would have heard. But I would like to hear that come out of someone's mouth. Hubs gets irritated, why keep asking they would tell us if it was, well, not necessarily, that stuff is compartmentalized.  He is speaking with his surgeon Friday, so maybe we will still find out. They had told us he would not see the surgeon until the day of, this will be his second time of meeting with him, go figure.

And we are not pleased. He went to sign up with the person for his lab work for surgery and the guy was sick and could barely talk. He did not even have a mask on!! Even hubs went to wash his hands in the sterile hand wash stuff.

I see they are ready to vote, I wouldn't mind to see Jeffries get it. But please not Jordan.

[weltz]

Oct 17, 2023 10:52:55 GMT -5 swamp said:

Oct 16, 2023 18:54:03 GMT -5 weltz said:

Involuntary commitment would be best, but then he'd come home. Mel can't make him take his meds. He's not Sushi.

Since he's 18, can Mel refuse to let him stay?    He's an adult.  

He has absolutely nowhere to go.  No friends, no contact with his dad, and no money.  He'd be living on the streets. Melody would never do that. She loves her son, despite all his crap.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Oct 17, 2023 11:59:29 GMT -5 weltz said:

Oct 17, 2023 10:52:55 GMT -5 swamp said:

Since he's 18, can Mel refuse to let him stay?    He's an adult.  

He has absolutely nowhere to go.  No friends, no contact with his dad, and no money.  He'd be living on the streets. Melody would never do that. She loves her son, despite all his crap.

Then it sounds like she needs to make a decision as to whether it is worth him killing her and your son vs living on the streets.  You can only help so much, and if the son isn’t going to take the meds, then there really is no other alternative. 

My brother was dating a woman whose daughter had mental issues.  The daughter threatened my brother about telling the police that he had sexually assaulted her when she got mad at her mom.  She was still underage, so had to live there.  My brother exited stage right, and I don’t blame him in the least.  I really liked the woman he was dating, she was good for him, intelligent (not his usual bimbo) and could carry on a conversation.  But my brother had underaged children at the time and had to think of them too.  

[countrygirl2]

It's starting to sound like Jeffries may be getting the majority of the vote, anyone is better than Jordan.

[jerseygirl]

Oct 17, 2023 11:59:29 GMT -5 weltz said:

Oct 17, 2023 10:52:55 GMT -5 swamp said:

Since he's 18, can Mel refuse to let him stay?    He's an adult.  

He has absolutely nowhere to go.  No friends, no contact with his dad, and no money.  He'd be living on the streets. Melody would never do that. She loves her son, despite all his crap.

Can she get a small studio apt for him and set up money each week for food? Is he capable of getting and holding a job? Any social service available for him?

[jerseygirl]

Have a cousin who is a dentist. He married a lovely woman but she had a drug addicted son. Son broke into dental office twice looking for drugs
Divorce ensued.

Sometimes just need to face reality . Can’t help some people even after multiple attempts. Do you also destroy your life?

[weltz]

Oct 17, 2023 12:11:23 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

Oct 17, 2023 11:59:29 GMT -5 weltz said:

He has absolutely nowhere to go.  No friends, no contact with his dad, and no money.  He'd be living on the streets. Melody would never do that. She loves her son, despite all his crap.

Can she get a small studio apt for him and set up money each week for food? Is he capable of getting and holding a job? Any social service available for him?

No, she has no money. He can't hold a job. He has Marfan Syndrome and his legs are a mess.  He's due to get surgery at the Shriners Hospital soon.

[swamp]

Oct 17, 2023 11:59:29 GMT -5 weltz said:

Oct 17, 2023 10:52:55 GMT -5 swamp said:

Since he's 18, can Mel refuse to let him stay?    He's an adult.  

He has absolutely nowhere to go.  No friends, no contact with his dad, and no money.  He'd be living on the streets. Melody would never do that. She loves her son, despite all his crap.

sometimes love requires you to take a stand.  

It's a hard situation.   I have all the sympathy in the world for Melody and your son.  And Jordan.   Because while he is technically an adult, he is still a kid.   

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Oct 17, 2023 12:24:02 GMT -5 weltz said:

Oct 17, 2023 12:11:23 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

Can she get a small studio apt for him and set up money each week for food? Is he capable of getting and holding a job? Any social service available for him?

No, she has no money. He can't hold a job. He has Marfan Syndrome and his legs are a mess.  He's due to get surgery at the Shriners Hospital soon.

They won’t do surgery if he is not compliant, so doubt it will happen.  

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 17, 2023 11:57:33 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Oct 16, 2023 21:51:01 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

We ended up picking Boy up close to the time the vet closes. Which wasn’t their fault, the vet himself had actually called early this afternoon,  what Mister gave them again as my phone number this morning, except it was actually YD’s phone number. My phone number is weird, to the point that if someone doesn’t get the last few digits, even after all these years, I have to start over from the beginning, to get it right lol. YD’s number is similar to mine, with the same digits, so I understand how Mister got them mixed up this morning.

So when we talked to the vet when we went to pick Boy up, he was talking about how Boy clearly has allergies, which we already knew. Me being me, and of little patience, I said yes, we know that, that is why we brought him in a few months ago. At the time, we got him that expensive ass $100 shot that was recommended, but it did not help him at all, so we are open to other, hopefully less expensive, options. And yes, I said it just like that.

They could not find any glass in Boy’s paw either. So they gave him some antibiotics and some steroids that they said should help with his reactions to allergies too. Me still being me, I had questions about the steroids themselves. 

They probably hope Mister is always the one to bring the dogs to see them, because I ask too many questions lol.

But anyway, Boy is resting on the sofa in the den, they said they didn’t see any glass embedded in his paw.

The vet gave Harriet steroids and antibiotics after they cut the growth off her neck (and the pathology came back benign….whew!).  I have never seen an incision close so fast and look so good so fast.  The incision, which was nearly 3”, was in a location on her neck where it couldn’t be bandaged, or they couldn’t put a cone of shame on her to keep her from scratching at it.  

The steroids should help Boy’s allergy too.  They dampen down the inflammatory response, which is what causes redness, swelling and pain as well as allergy symptoms.  The major side effect though, was it makes dogs ravenous (it turned Harpo into an eating machine).  She’s finished her treatment, so her appetite has gone back to merely annoying from obnoxious.

The vet warned us that it might make him eat more and drink more water. The water part is definitely true already.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Oct 17, 2023 11:59:29 GMT -5 weltz said:

Oct 17, 2023 10:52:55 GMT -5 swamp said:

Since he's 18, can Mel refuse to let him stay?    He's an adult.  

He has absolutely nowhere to go.  No friends, no contact with his dad, and no money.  He'd be living on the streets. Melody would never do that. She loves her son, despite all his crap.

My ex had nowhere to go when I kicked him out either.  He was literally living in a tent on state land probably going through garbage and people's campsites stealing food...who knows.  Lived that way for several months until he was locked up.  Nobody would bail him out.  His bail was down to FIFTY dollars and his own parents and siblings and friends said "sucks to be you" and left him there for 6 months. Even after his court hearings they wouldn't release him because it was Winter and nobody would agree to take him. They figured if they let him out he'd freeze to death. He had NOTHING, NOBODY.

Well, that was the kick in the ass he needed.  That was almost 10 years ago and he's completely turned things around for himself. Been at the same job for 9 years now making good money, owns a home, has Carrot every other weekend now instead of supervised hours here and there.  Sometimes people need to truly hit rock bottom.  I get there's a risk because they might not come back from there either, but if they don't it's on them.  Does Canada have no resources for homeless people? 

[toomuchreality]

Oct 17, 2023 5:26:54 GMT -5 finnime said:

Good morning, warrior invisipeeps, fighting the good fight. Welcome to Tuesday. I hope this day offers to you problems solved and prevents other problems, and your own peeps are easy to be with.

I'm so sorry, weltz. I know more than I should about out of control people with mental health issues. It's an ugly draining slog with no real answers except good psychiatric care for everyone. I hope Jordan, Melanie and Simon can get the support they need.

Really glad Boy is okay, Pink Cashmere. I think I understand Mister a little--with so much on his plate he probably feels rebelliously justified in treating himself to junk food. Men.

For all of you with allergies, my sympathies. I know many people confuse goldenrod for ragweed, but ragweed is really punishing. Zyrtec helps, and Flonase. Benadryl if you're going to sleep.

I got my first agent rejection, so I'm on a roll. I expect a lot of rejections and have told myself it's all the process and I am making progress. Going to work on my next book in the meantime.

We are at a cabin in New Hampshire at the end of the Kanc, the Kancamagus Highway. It was rainy yesterday although it didn't full on pour. Nonetheless we saw some gorgeous foliage. Going back today to grab pics. The White Mountains here are beautiful. The Kanc was not so crowded that we couldn't move freely, a blessing. Today we'll stop south of here in the lakes region, too, where I used to summer with my siblings and our respective families. Grateful for this little trip. DH actually walked a mile yesterday, to and from a waterfall.

It was cloudy and rainy yesterday before we left, too. I did get a good picture of the dawning sun under the rain clouds:

Gorgeous! I hope you and DH enjoy your trip.

[weltz]

Oct 17, 2023 12:44:18 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Oct 17, 2023 12:24:02 GMT -5 weltz said:

No, she has no money. He can't hold a job. He has Marfan Syndrome and his legs are a mess.  He's due to get surgery at the Shriners Hospital soon.

They won’t do surgery if he is not compliant, so doubt it will happen.  

He wants the surgery. His legs hurt all the time.

[daisylu]

Done with training for today, and this hotel internet is not cutting it for getting anything else done. 

[toomuchreality]

Oct 17, 2023 13:31:04 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Done with training for today, and this hotel internet is not cutting it for getting anything else done. 

That sucks. Are you going to be there long?
When I was in Anaheim, CA. last week, we stayed at a great hotel. No complaints whatsoever. Even the staff was great. I was happy about that.
I need to leave a positive review.

[toomuchreality]

Oct 17, 2023 13:27:06 GMT -5 weltz said:

Oct 17, 2023 12:44:18 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

They won’t do surgery if he is not compliant, so doubt it will happen.  

He wants the surgery. His legs hurt all the time.

Does this mean he'll start taking his meds regularly?

[weltz]

Oct 17, 2023 13:42:58 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

Oct 17, 2023 13:27:06 GMT -5 weltz said:

He wants the surgery. His legs hurt all the time.

Does this mean he'll start taking his meds regularly?

I have no idea.

[weltz]

Even if by some miracle, he's accepted into homeless housing he'll be evicted. Melody has been evicted because of him.  Too much screaming, too much noise, too much violence, too much banging on the walls, too many times the cops show up. 
It's all so hopeless.
I don't know what to do to help thrm.

[TheOtherMe]

Just chatted on Messenger with my cousin's daughter.  She's the niece and point person for both her mom and my oldest cousin (the one who is 90).  

Her mom is the one with dementia that has left her able to do nothing for herself, so she is in independent living.  She has lost the ability to to anything with numbers.  She can't tell time, make phone calls, change the channel on the remote, etc.  Her neighbor at assisted living comes over and changes the channel and makes sure she gets to meals.  

My cousin is a different issue.  She falls, but has not hurt herself so far.  She has a life alert which lets the 4 nieces know.  The niece I spoke to today wants her to move to assisted living.  She doesn't understand that her aunt never made more than $1.50 per hour in her working years and that means she has a very small social security check.  She has some CDs and I don't know how she managed to save that money.  

Today she said she wanted my cousin to go to assisted living and then let Medicaid pay for it when the money is gone.  She was surprised to learn that Medicaid doesn't cover assisted living.  She does agree that at this point, she doesn't need a nursing home.  

Even my cousin with dementia had been trying to get her sister to go to assisted living.  That is frustrating to my cousin because she knows she will never be able to afford it.  

So it will take a bad fall or something to get her to a nursing home.  I've spent time with her and she truly doesn't need a nursing home as long as she uses her walker.  She doesn't always use the walker in the house and that is when she falls.  She has the house so full of knick knacks that it is difficult to get through it walking, let alone using a walker.  I told her the goal should be to get stuff out of the house so she will use the walker in the house.  And to tell her not to go to the basement.  Her washer and dryer are on the main living level so she doesn't need to go down there.  It's an old house, so it's more like a cellar.

[giramomma]

My brain is shot.

[weltz]

Oct 17, 2023 14:44:10 GMT -5 giramomma said:

My brain is shot.

So is mine, from worrying.

[andi9899]

I just had a scare. I got a bill from the utility company that said I was delinquent. Um, excuse me? I'm so anal about paying my bills on time that I knew there was a mistake. My bill isn't due until 10/23.

Apparently they treat each house as a separate account. So I owe them for September and up to 10/12. Ok, fine. Since I turned it off they issued a new bill and called the one I would have paid on 10/23 delinquent and the now bill and a half has to be paid by 11/7 to avoid interruption of service. I already turned the utilities off. Interrupt all you want. I'm just going to pay it in full on Friday and call it a day. I clarified that I am not being charged a late fee because I'm not paying anything late.

[andi9899]

Also, apparently I have some shows to catch up on. I didn't know masked singer started again. I also haven't kept up on DWTS or the voice. Guess what I'm doing this weekend...

[daisylu]

Oct 17, 2023 13:41:36 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

Oct 17, 2023 13:31:04 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Done with training for today, and this hotel internet is not cutting it for getting anything else done. 

That sucks. Are you going to be there long?
When I was in Anaheim, CA. last week, we stayed at a great hotel. No complaints whatsoever. Even the staff was great. I was happy about that.
I need to leave a positive review.

Everything went so well at the facility that I will be able to head home in the morning. I could drive home tonight, but driving until almost midnight does not interest me today. Hotel is paid for until tomorrow and the charge would not change if I had checked out today instead.

I am an early riser, so I'll likely hit the road by 6 putting me home before noon. Manager does not expect me online tomorrow, so I plan to take advantage. ☺️

[soupandstew]

Oct 17, 2023 14:39:19 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Just chatted on Messenger with my cousin's daughter.  She's the niece and point person for both her mom and my oldest cousin (the one who is 90).  

Her mom is the one with dementia that has left her able to do nothing for herself, so she is in independent living.  She has lost the ability to to anything with numbers.  She can't tell time, make phone calls, change the channel on the remote, etc.  Her neighbor at assisted living comes over and changes the channel and makes sure she gets to meals.  

My cousin is a different issue.  She falls, but has not hurt herself so far.  She has a life alert which lets the 4 nieces know.  The niece I spoke to today wants her to move to assisted living.  She doesn't understand that her aunt never made more than $1.50 per hour in her working years and that means she has a very small social security check.  She has some CDs and I don't know how she managed to save that money.  

Today she said she wanted my cousin to go to assisted living and then let Medicaid pay for it when the money is gone.  She was surprised to learn that Medicaid doesn't cover assisted living.  She does agree that at this point, she doesn't need a nursing home.  

Even my cousin with dementia had been trying to get her sister to go to assisted living.  That is frustrating to my cousin because she knows she will never be able to afford it.  

So it will take a bad fall or something to get her to a nursing home.  I've spent time with her and she truly doesn't need a nursing home as long as she uses her walker.  She doesn't always use the walker in the house and that is when she falls.  She has the house so full of knick knacks that it is difficult to get through it walking, let alone using a walker.  I told her the goal should be to get stuff out of the house so she will use the walker in the house.  And to tell her not to go to the basement.  Her washer and dryer are on the main living level so she doesn't need to go down there.  It's an old house, so it's more like a cellar.

That's truly sad - so many people think assisted living is covered by Medicaid and/or Medicare.  Unfortunately for many, it isn't.  

[soupandstew]

I have done absolutely nothing productive today except one load of laundry and unpacking my new immersion blender.  Tomorrow I have to find a bucket of ambition because I have insurance paperwork to complete and brokerage transactions to post, plus a meeting tomorrow night of our community association's budget committee.  Revenues are down significantly, costs are up, and tough decisions will have to be made.  

[chiver78]

Oct 17, 2023 15:33:22 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Oct 17, 2023 13:41:36 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

That sucks. Are you going to be there long?
When I was in Anaheim, CA. last week, we stayed at a great hotel. No complaints whatsoever. Even the staff was great. I was happy about that.
I need to leave a positive review.

Everything went so well at the facility that I will be able to head home in the morning. I could drive home tonight, but driving until almost midnight does not interest me today. Hotel is paid for until tomorrow and the charge would not change if I had checked out today instead.

I am an early riser, so I'll likely hit the road by 6 putting me home before noon. Manager does not expect me online tomorrow, so I plan to take advantage. ☺️

I totally get that. I had a vendor where I went fairly often, in Tonawanda, NY. it was basically a straight shot out I90 from where I'd pick up 90 in Worcester. ~7h drive, with nothing to look at. I'd always just get a good night's sleep after a week of crawling up/down/sideways around a huge piece of equipment all week, and hit the road no later than 8am. one summer trip there, I napped and then went out with some girlfriends in Boston that night. my forehead was caked in pancake makeup to cover the sunburn to *just* my forehead. lol..... damn sunroof and driving straight east for 7h! 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Oct 17, 2023 13:27:06 GMT -5 weltz said:

Oct 17, 2023 12:44:18 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

They won’t do surgery if he is not compliant, so doubt it will happen.  

He wants the surgery. His legs hurt all the time.

Doesn’t matter.  If he wants the surgery, he needs to be compliant with meds to control him.  Surgeons are not about to do orthopedic surgery on someone not compliant and have the patient wind up even worse.  He will also have to show a good faith effort too, not just make fake promises.