Itchy and Scratchy

 

 

In my overgrown perennial beds there is something I am fairly allergic to.  My first hunch is that it is purple coneflower because a) I have a ton of it b) it's fuzzy.  Fuzzy plants don't treat me very well.  Knowing this once the plants get a certain height I don my old lady gardening outfit of pants, long sleeves, and gloves, the only thing I lack is a straw hat.  Still not enough today as the four inches of skin exposed on my arms (the shirt was only a 3/4 length sleeve but an x/large) started itching almost immediately upon beginning to work.  I managed to get the worst of the overgrown offenders out, stake a drooping plant, and trim back a walnut tree before I was forced inside my hives and mosquitos. 

 

Last week I was out mowing and when I came in my left eye was itchy and I caught myself rubbing at it.  I took a look and it was quite red so I put some tears in it and then fell asleep on the couch.  When I woke up my eye was twice as red and quite swollen.  I theorized it was allergy and took a couple of Benadryl to hopefully knock it back.  The next day it was still pretty angry so I went to the doc and was told maybe pink eye, maybe allergy, I'm not sure.  So she called in a Rx for eye drops and told me to use them if no improvement by the next day.  That afternoon the swelling  and redness all but disappeared.

 

It's strange, as a kid I wasn't allergic to a thing.  I could run through any plant material, poison ivy and oak included, without a hint of rash.  I did suffer from some hay fever from time to time but it was never anything that slowed me down.  Now though my immune system seems to think everything odd is an alien invader.  In the last ten years I've developed allergy to mystery plants I come in contact with, a couple of different antibiotics, and the minor hay fever occasionally morphs into misery.  One would think with age allergic reactions would diminish but I was never one do things logically.

 



Simple Things

Sometimes in my crazy life I start to realize that it's the simplest things that bring me the most peace. Sitting on the front porch next to Hubby in our rocking chairs (sounds like we are 80 doesn't it?) watching the hummingbird feeder is my escape from real life.

Unfortunately real life intrudes.  The boys start fighting, time ticks away, the dryer buzzes and I can see a wilting plant that needs some TLC.  Ugh

Don't mess with me

I was right, Mom did break her foot again.  Friday morning bright and early I called her and asked "how's your foot" she started in rambling about how it might be a bit better but I just cut her off and said "your going to the doctor" hung up and called to wheedle an appointment with her MD.  When it was time for her appointment, I went over and her house was bordering on health hazard status so I then declared she was going to hire a cleaning lady and put an ad on the local Facebook page for one.  The girl I chose was just fine and able to come that afternoon.  Mom paid her.  Today Mom had a doctor appointment when I went to pick her up she fell over in the yard because she had her hands full of a giant purse, a bag of library books, and no cane.  When I got her into the truck I discovered she did not have her phone so I went in her house to get it, and rummaged through her old purses until I found one with a long strap that could be worn cross body and grabbed her cane.  I gave her the purse and told her to put her crap in it.

I'm tired of trying to be nice and suggesting she do x, y or z.  From now on I'm not going to give her a choice.  This is how it's going to be because I have to take care of you, you WILL make reasonable attempts at preventing injury etc.  I'm sure she thinks I'm a bossy bitch but I don't really care, she can find somebody else to do for her if she doesn't like it anymore.  I don't see a line forming.

In other news the kids out of school are driving me bat shit crazy.  Between the fighting, and constantly dragging them from the video games there is always some minor crisis happening.

I haven't had a meltdown yet.  Thank God the kids are old enough to go to the pool without me and Mom sits over there in crazy alone contentedly.  I get a break, though it usually ends with wet rear ends on my couch and towels thrown around.  I'm spent I tell ya.

Really, Again

It appears Mom has broken her foot again.  She refuses to go to the doctor but I think I'm going to force her tomorrow as she's unable to put weight on it all.  If they put her on crutches I'm lost as to what to do.

I'll update more later, just tired and stressed tonight.

Progress!...With a dash of Oh Sh...

 

Today was Mom's disability hearing.  At this point it frankly just a formality and basically that's what we attended.  I was prepared to testify but I didn't do anything but go in and give my name.  Mom rattled on and on completely lost, however it didn't seem to matter as the court appointed "vocational expert" did his thing and said "nope she can't work" and the judge says "OK".  It will be a few weeks before we get things finalized and she gets her back pay and an increase in her social security check.  The biggest plus is she is now eligible for Medicare.  I have no idea how to begin navigating that but I'll look into it in the next few days.  I can't do anything till the paperwork is processed anyway.

 

 

While we were waiting around (if you've ever dealt with the SS admin it's some sort of law to wait around a lot) there was a Hmong family in the row of chairs in front of us.  An older woman, her daughter in her late 20's, and two small granddaughters, one about 3, the other an infant.  Mom in her creepy fashion of always playing with small children begins talking to the little girl.  Not so bad, one could tell the little girl wasn't exactly thrilled but wasn't upset.  Then Mom notices her mother's hair, stands up and starts playing with the mother's pony tail and commenting on her highlights!  OMG!  I glance at the paralegal trainee that was with the lawyer and she has an amazed look on her face, all I could do was roll my eyes that I did not approve.  Props to the girl having her hair handled by a crazy lady she didn't respond badly at all.  Personally I'd have had a fit if somebody I didn't know was running her hands through my hair.  About this same time the movie Grand Torino with Clint Eastwood came to mind when Clint was instructed not to touch the children on the head (a Hmong cultural taboo)  I googled later to double check, yep.

 

After the hearing we are walking back to the truck and mom fell in the middle of Wisconsin Ave in downtown Milwaukee.  Nice.  A truck driver jumped out of his truck to help but I managed to get her hoisted up pretty quickly and to the sidewalk.  She wasn't hurt but was rattled.  I guess she needed to prove she really was eligible for the disability.  Tonight she hobbled over and had me tape her wrist.  I have a hunch it's hurt and we will be going for an x-ray in the next few days.

 

Tomorrow is the last day of school.  Kids are thrilled, me not so much.  We are going to go up to the in-laws for a few days as well.  It will be good to get away from all the needy chores staring me in the face for a while.  Then again they will still be waiting on me when I get back.

 

By a thousand cuts

I can't say that anything huge is brewing around here lately.  No major issues but honestly I feel like I'm being slowly killed by one pin prick at a time.  I'm hoping that with school ending next week whoever has my voodoo doll will quit having time to torture me.

No real change with Mom.  For a couple of weeks she seemed to make a slight effort to walk some but not really.  I don't think she's gone outside or gotten dressed in four days.  I call or buzz over there to make sure she isn't on the floor at least once a day but that is all I'm willing to do.  Frankly I'm just waiting for the event that hospitalized her and forces her into long term care.  I have told her several times that she cannot live with me if she becomes more dependent.  I don't think it has really occurred to her that the line is so close to her feet.

Last week we met with her disability lawyer to go over information for her hearing.  The lawyer really didn't prep her much citing she won't remember it anyway.  When Mom proudly said she lived alone the layer asked me "Is that an adventure?" he knew full well the answer because he is privy to all her medical records.  Next week we will haul up to Milwaukee for the hearing, the lawyer will have me testify as well as mom because it is clear she doesn't really understand her medical issues in the least.    The lawyer doubts she will be turned down but it's been a three year wait to get this far so I'm a little stressed about it.  There won't be a large influx of cash from getting her declared disabled but it will make her eligible for other programs.

Sonny Boy has overnight turned into the adolescent you are always warned about.  I honestly would send him off to a long summer camp if there was money in the hopes some of the hormone crazies might resolve before the end of summer.  Alas only a week of scout camp is going to happen and seeing his general disorganization it worries me greatly, since neither Hubby or I are going to attend to keep him regulated.  I do plan on calling a mom that is attending and asking her to keep a special eye on Sonny Boy.  I'm not worried about safety but his inability to plan things out.

A special aspect of my new son is his attitude.  This weekend he attended a weekend camp out.  The weather was beyond miserable and it was ended early.  To make a long story short I told him Monday morning to unpack his bag so I could wash the clothes (everything had gotten soaked) and he replied "that's your job".  I do really wish I could put the dog training collar on him.

Igor has thankfully been pretty mild lately though fighting with his prickly brother has increased.  He even fights in his sleep as I heard him in the middle of the night let out his famous whine "Sonny Boy".  I doubled over giggling in bed.  I do sense a nervousness in him with school ending, he really likes his teacher and doesn't want to leave her.  He's bummed because the teacher is moving up a grade next year but he won't be in her class.  It's probably a good thing really, I don't think she's a bad teacher but I think he needs a change.

Hubby and I are trudging along.  Chores, lawn, small house projects and putting out fires.  Hubby is consumed by the boat and fishing (wish the boat would sink).  I've been doing lots of yard work.

Think I'm going to watch for liquor sales, I'm going to need a lot with school ending.