Citizen Dog by Mark O'Hare for March 25, 2012

Well it’s close to midnight and I guess I’m the first one here and probably the last to leave yesterday’s posts.

((((((((((((((((noicant))))))))))))))) I left a very late post for you on yesterday’s comments. I wrote one earlier when I saw you post about selling the house and the insane situation you have to cope with. But it didn’t “take” and never posted. So I wrote another one to let you know how much I care about you and to assure you that you are loved by so very many of your Citizen Dog family.

Sleep well and have Ice Cream flavored dreams, there’s such a variety you can always find something to delight you! Nighty night (((((((((((noicant)))))))))) StelBel, Dry, Citizen Grog, Cleokaya, Sugie, x_Tech, Chefwen, JP Steve, Greg Trail, Shickamoo, Serenaskitty, Nighthawks, Lonewolf, Plods et al!

I’ve told you – FROSTY PAWS!!!

Maybe you guys need to show the money to get them to stop, Fergus.

Good Morning, cleo, sugar, Fellow Baby & the rest of the CD gang!

Fergus, go get Mel and have him make the truck stop!

Good morning, Lonewolf, cleokaya, puppybreath, Dry, sugie, Citizen GROG!, x_Tech, JP Steve, noicantspell Hallford, nighthawks, Shikamoo, Greg Trail, chefwen and CDers everywhere!

@ Shikamoo, Dry and puppybreath I expect to see some interestiing graphics popping up here this week some time…OK?

@ noicantspell Hallford If all of us could band together and show up on your doorstep to help, I know we would. I read puppybreath’s post to you from last night. She is a very wise and very caring woman, and her advice is always sound. There’s not much more that I could add that she hasn’t already said to you. Please know that we all send you our best wishes that you’ll find the strength and determination to do what you have to do, and of course, we’re here to offer you the support that you need.That being said, please at least consider contacting the Alzheimer’s Association in your area. They are a good resource. I wish I had contacted them when I was taking care of my folks, just so I could have had some respite away from the house once in a while. They should be able to offer that and more. You need some help!!!! My husband (who is now retired) was working at the time that I was home with the folks, but at least he was there at the end of the day when I needed to “decompress”. You need a way to do that with someone…in person. I understand that it’s helpful to come here, but it’s not the same as talking to someone in “real time”. The other thought I had was medication, which, as I understand it, is even more effective now than 10 years ago, when my mom was taking it (and, even then, it was helpful for her). It’s not a cure, but I think it slows the progression of the disease considerably.I think it was cleo who said that you have a lot on your plate. My word!!! Yes, you do!! I can’t even imagine selling the house and buying another over 1000 miles (?) away, and still have to attend to all the needs of a mom with Alzheimer’s. That’s a Herculean task! If nothing else, you have GOT to get some help in. You will not be there for your mom if you end up having an emotional and/or physical breakdown. There is only so much that ONE person can take care of, and it sounds like you’re close to hitting that limit. Start by contacting the Alzheimer’s Assoc. and see what kind of support they can offer you. Do it! Please!

@ puppybreath I do love your anecdotes!!! I do! I do! Your Great Dane sounds like a big marshmallow, so loveable and loving. I understand completely why you miss her so…..Everytime I read Marmaduke, I will be thinking of you and Tarn of Ladydane.

By the way, in case you missed Dry’s directions, just click on anyone’s avatar to access their profile page and see their latest comments. I find it helpful when I can’t quite remember where I read a certain comment, but do remember who made the comment. Also, when you look at their comments and want to go to the comic where they made the comment, just click on the comic avatar next to their comment on their profile page. That sounds confusing, doesn’t it? In other words, if you’re looking at all the comments that I just made on my profile page, and you want to go to Citizen Dog (where I made those comments), just click on the Citizen Dog icon/avatar that is next to my comment on my page. Easy.

@ Dry I’ve never quite mastered being on the laptop in bed. By 8 pm, I can’t tolerate sitting at my kitchen desk any longer (usually), so I go to bed to be able to stretch out, but I’m watching TV…not sleeping that early, usually. That pinched nerve thing in my lower back is a real royal “pain” in the youknowwhat! One of these days, I’m goin to stay on-line til midnight. Of course, that’ll be the night that everyone else is not on-line. That’ll be my luck!!!Sorry I missed you last night. Maybe we’ll “connect” later today!

@ Shikamoo See my comment to Dry above. We’re all on different schedules, that’s for sure. Hope to “bump” into you at some point! LOL

@ puppybreath I’m simply going to have to set my alarm to “chat” with you sometime. You are really a nightowl!

i am still going to try to start today.happy, happy, happy?i sure would stop for such handsome doge.they need to try the big soulful eyes gig…

thank you everyone. i am going for the offer, unless it changes. i’m going home. i got a message from my sister last night. what it boiled down to was that her and her husbands plates are full. and when she gets the doctorate she is going where the money is. having mom close would be nice, but they will make time for us when they can.i was told i should move to someplace where I would be happy.I will be happy on the Oregon coast, or close to it. help, or no help, we are going. i will give mom the chance to spend as much time as my sister will give, while mom knows what is what. in 2 years mom might not know who I am. when mom is gone, i will reassess everything. i may move further down the coast at that time. i my not. i will cross that bridge then. first this one. and yes, i will find some help after we get to Oregon.my sister did promise financial help when its time for me to get some in home health care for mom.i cant be disappointed in sis. she worked hard to get what she has and she loves her work. and her husband also. she just has a hard time understanding that its not just about mom. i want to go also.

and when we get to Oregon i’m getting mom a cat. sorry Fergus.

I gave my dog a Frosty Paws once, he “woofed” it down in one bite. Not really what I had in mind.

2 ice cream trucks on one street? Now you don’t see any, at least not around here anymore.

Good morning Fellow Baby, cleo and sugie!

Howdy StelBel, puppybreath, noiccant, chefwen etc.

Simple the trucks don’t carry Frosty Paws so they won’t stop.

Good Morning Grog, Dry, Cleo, Lonewolf, StelBel, puppybreath, noicant & all CDers out there.

We atill get ice cream trucks here on the lake in the summer and can here the annoying song repeated over again as it nears.

Good morning all you CD pals.*

.HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!!!

We have ice cream trucks coming by pretty much all year around. They’re usually playing the theme from The Sting.

((((((((((((noicant))))))))))))))))

Maybe I shouldn’t say this here, noicant and I think I said it somewhere around here before, so bear with me. Mom went into the hospital in July of 2005. She had had a stroke, looking back on it, I think she had had a couple, the TIA’s, mini strokes. But this one was bigger. She was released from the hospital, and went to a rehab. She was just about ready to be released and come home, which would have been difficult, to say the least, but somehow we would have managed. My dad was 92 then, a remarkable 92! and mom was 87 at that time. My mom was also a Registered Nurse, and had been a LT. in the Army Nurse Corps during WW2. She always told me, she would NEVER go to a nursing home, EVER. The day before she was to be released, she had another major stroke. She went back to hospital until they could do no more for her, I think they needed the bed. At that point, there was no way possible she could come home. But when she went to the nursing home, she knew EXACTLY where she was. And to top if off, the only place she could be placed was in a neighboring county. We were planning on going over that evening to visit. She got pnuemonia and was there 6 days. Then that afternoon I got the call. Telling my dad and my sons, was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. Thank God my husband handled the worst of it. Then of course when Daddy passed, we had to tell my sons again. I hope I didn’t upset you by telling you all this. I just wanted to say that, partly for me too, I guess. What goes around comes around, and if we were raised in a good home, like we were, we owe our parents to take care of them when the time comes. It seems many of us here have similar stories, different maybe, but all coming from the same place, so you aren’t alone. We may be virtual friends, but we are friends, none the less. (((((((((((((((noicant)))))))))))))

he**…by the time i’m done i might have enough experience to go back to school and become a aid, or therapist…: )very small joke

if you guys keep this up, i wont be able to get my hat over my swollen fat head.all the input here helps. thanks, all.

HANG IN THERE! YOU WON’T REGRET IT! It’s difficult, but you will feel better for it. It’s a part of life you know. One day, we may all be there too, and hope that someone cares as much about us to take care of us the way you are taking care of your mom.

night all. my brain is oozing out my ears…