Thursday, February 26, 2009

Aging parents



This week I have had to take my father to the hospital for an angiogram and ultimately an angioplasty. He spent an overnight in the hospital - much to the chagrin of the nursing staff who had to deal with his wanderlust all night long. He didn't sleep. So he walked the halls and I am sure he kept things lively for them in the early morning hours.


When he got home, he found himself in front of a "new fangled" pill box with assorted pill colors in each respective day. Ok yes....I bought the box for him, but that is how I handle situations. I try to organize things based on the given situation. This situation screamed the need for organization and structure!


The morning after his first night home he called to ask me if he should take the Thursday pills now. I said....."No....Dad its Wednesday". To which he replied...."Oh hell, I already took all of those (Weds) last night". YIKES! A remedial class on the pill box layout and functionality quickly ensued that afternoon and I believe that now he is on the path to righteousness instead of a medical emergency. He simply is not used to taking medications of any kind and now......he is in uncharted territory.


I guess we all think about what it will be like when our parents age and become dependant upon us. Both of my parents are independent, strong willed individuals who live a solitary lifestyle. This week was a real eye opener in regards to where my father is in the aging process. It is a concern to me since I am now their first line of support - two separate households and only one of me.


Anyone caring for two parents who live in separate households? I am not in full caregiver mode at this point - as I said both parents are mobile and fend for themselves right now. I am interested in hearing how other people may handle this unique situation.

Convictions


There aren't many of my friends who don't have strong personal or political beliefs. I am happy to say that it is this diversity that makes life interesting. I respect those folks who stand firmly behind what they believe and will defend it even when it all "goes to hell in a hand basket".

The one thing I do not respect are those folks who waffle between their political beliefs or run like hell when things are darkest. One day they are an elephant - the next day they are the donkey or worse.....something in between to escape the party that burned them.

I have been called a closeted Republican by a few (those are remaining nameless!) even though I voted the Democratic ticket. I do have some conservative viewpoints, yes, but I guess I consider myself a moderate/conservative Democrat. Either way....I voted the way my heart pointed me to vote based on my political beliefs.

I guess the main point of this post tonight is to simply say how much I respect those individuals who show "strength of conviction". Whether we disagree politically or otherwise , I think it speaks volumes to the character of such individuals. It is good to see those who can plant a stake firmly in the ground and say....."This is where I stand".

Politics aside.....no one likes wishy-washy anything. If the world were made up of chameleons, we would never have experienced any decisive moments in history. We would all look like "Stepford" lesbians with our little Stepford lives in our Stepford neighborhoods. (that is a frightening thought in itself!) Who wants to be around people who mold to other peoples convictions?

I say.....stand up, kick the mold to the side and breathe freely! If you feel like you can't, then maybe the person you have become is simply not you at all.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Royalty


I can now say that I know someone who is royalty. In fact.....I sleep with her often. While it is fair enough to say that Lyn does get herself into some precarious situations with work and her outside interests, I never imagined that she would become a Colonel.

That's right. My girlfriend is an official Kentucky Colonel. No really! Read this.

While it carries no special duties or special powers, it is a huge thing in this part of the country. Remember Colonel Sanders of KFC? Yep......he was a Ky Colonel too.

So while we may receive a special invitation to the Kentucky Derby (yes....there is a Kentucky Colonels Derby party), I can never hope to gain even a free chicken leg at the nearest KFC. (sigh)

Congratulations Lyn!

Bailout


Now that we have the Senate majority voting in the new stimulus package, the real work begins hammering out the final product with the H of R. Yes I know......we didn't have a full agreement due to the unending bickering about the pork products in the bill.

Uh hello.......how do you think Dubya was able to push through any bill that he pleased during his eight year term? There was enough pork in those bills to feed the world ten times over. Piss and moan all you want......there is not a president alive who doesn't have a bill chucked with piggy products. The big difference with this one is the fact that with this bill and all future bills we will all know exactly what is being signed into law. Every swimming pool, new bridge, park, war memorial and salmon farm request will now be up for public display.

Unless we have a president who is willing to sign into law the "line item veto", the pork will continue my friends. It is inevitable. We aren't sending representatives to Congress to just sit around. Everybody needs something and everyone wants their bread buttered.

I read this afternoon that the economy is so bad in Alaska that people can't afford to turn on their electric items and milk costs $10 a gallon. I wonder how long before Sarah Palin starts pinging her Senators for a little spending money? Don't think she will? Ha.....she either asks for the money or sits idly by and watches the Alaskan economy sink into oblivion. If that happens she will not have another term at governor and her sinking track record will be fair game should she decide to do something really dumb like run for a Congressional seat or worse.....president.

The new stimulus package will be a done deal shortly. Hopefully it will stimulate enough to get our economy back on track. It's not just the Democrats economy......it impacts ALL OF US!