My Mother-n-Law had another spell a few days ago and off to the emergency room and then to the Behavior unit a 100 miles away to adjust the Alzheimer's medication, this time she will be placed in a Assisted living center that has an Alzheimer's Unit. We brought her back from last visit and was warned that as soon as she got home she would have problems and they were right she lasted almost a week at home, it brought on extreme depression and agitation, because it was her home but other people were doing her work, house cleaning , helping her bathe and such and she just fell apart. So we are researching homes for her and found one about 40 miles from us.It sounds like a good place for such a condition she has, they have an Activities person 7 days a week from around 9 am to 6 pm, which is so much better than other centers that just use medicine as restraints and they sit all day tied to a chair like I have seen in the past.I have worked in 3 nursing homes in our area for over 15 years and I have worked in the one Mom is going to as well. My Mother -n- law is still up and around very active, in fact I think she thinks she is working where she is now at the Behavior unit and she helps the staff with bed making and folding clothes,they let them do anything to keep them happy. She has worked as an in -home health care aide for many years up until about 2 and half years ago, scary to think that this demonic disease has worked so fast in her mind. I am amazed at how fast it has taken over from about 2 years ago, being diagnosed with it and now she recognizes the fact that she should know us but can not rightly figure out who we are.She can speak but we haven't a clue what she is saying, it is all jumbled up. We are trying to get her on Medicaid , oh the red tape and maneuvering we have to get through so that they don't take the family farm and homes. We thought we had it all took care of a couple of years ago with her deeding all she owns to her boys, but apparently it has to be 5 years before she goes into a Care unit for it to help it has only been less than 2 years and so we figured that out just in time with our lawyer, and yes lawyers come in handy when it is your butt they are saving, but it will cost mom- in- law 8,000 dollars for them to help.They filed today for the medicaid and hopefully all done legal and all. With Medicaid they will pay for her stay there until she dies, then they come in force to gobble up all she owes to pay it back, sweet. Hopefully she doesn't own anything now as far as they are concerned.
If you have any property or own anything you want your kids to have when you are gone, you best take care of it in some form of trust because you may not just kick the bucket you may get ill or have a stroke, cancer and what ever and have to go to a nursing home, if that happens and you haven't done the legal maneuvering then the Government at your death will take it all to pay the expenses. Are you aware that it cost over 4000 dollars a month to stay at a Nursing Home/Assisted Living Center? Even out here in small town USA, in the Urban areas I would imagine it is even more expensive. Don't think your insurance or SSI will pay for it. So if you are over 55 and have stuff you want your kids to get instead of the Government, you best take care of business. You may think you have time, but that is not what you have. It slips away from you very quickly! I was not disabled 2 years ago, and now I can barely walk ,and I am only 53 and I don't even want to think about what would happen to me if something happened to my hubby, who is now having a lot of pain in his back................worries worries worries.
We haven't been able to visit mom in Hosp. they got around of foot of snow and ice before that, we have probably 4 or more inches of snow here, it is pretty to look at , but the wind is blowing and it is 12 degrees this morning, very chilly indeed.
Well time to fix breakfast.
for what it was worth,
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Caring for an elderly parent
Me and my hubby are on the very end of the 'Baby Boomer' generation and we are both dealing with what comes with age, bones that talk back, hair that decides that grey is in, wrinkles that creep in over night, jeez where did time go?
We along with this generation are dealing with our aging parents as well, what should we do when they no longer can take care of them selves.
My Mother n law who is 75, is a beautiful woman, who had a sharp mind. She never gossiped as speaking ill of someone, and is well liked by all that know her.
She never looked like many older women, she was always in style, being between a size 1 and 6 throughout her adult life and has always been thin, always took pride in her looks. When we would visit her and my hubby would catch up on all the news of what was going on with people they knew in common since they both grew up here, not in a gossipy way, just letting each other know who was sick or who got married or divorced, who had died, who moved , who came back home ,that kind of stuff. Mom knew everyone in this area and kept up on everyone. I had noticed about 5 or so years ago that she was forgetting things, was not as good at recollecting things. She would forget what she was saying, not so much that most would noticed, but I did and told hubby and he just poo pooed it. Well a couple of years ago she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and she has declined way too fast since then. A couple of weeks ago she dropped another BIG step down on the her mental latter. Most people think that those with Dementia drop steadily but Alzheimer's reach a plateau and may stay there for a short time or a long time then drop all of a sudden down a step and then stay there for awhile and so forth.Well she went off the deep end , she still living at home, her hubby had to call ambulance and they sedated her and sent her to the ER. We got to the ER she was pretty sedated, they recommended that she go to this real good Behavior ward at a hospital about 100 miles away. She had been there until yesterday.While there we all took turns visiting the 2 hours we were allotted each day. When we first visited they had taken her off all meds, to see where she really was, so we walk in and boy what a surprise.She was just not mom, We came in and she knew she should know us but did not know her son or me, she couldn't say 2 words together that meant anything and would ramble on incoherently. Well they put her on seroquel a drug for bi polar disease and using it off label for alzheimer's and having great results with it.They gave her a dose then see how she did for the next day and then increased it and waited a day or two to see how she did and so forth increasing as they went. So each time we came in there was a marked change in her condition, she was getting so much better each time , we were amazed at her improvement. I felt as did the hospital that she needed to go in a Long Term facility when they released her, but her hubby felt he needed to try it again at home and of course my hubby and his brother was relieved that he was, but I was not, I knew he was unable to cope with what I knew will happen but such as it is, So now she came home yesterday, and by that evening had another episode like she did before all this,she got violent and very angry with her hubby, 'step father ' to my hubby and his brother, and this morning the same thing going on.........so I expect that she will be sent back to hospital and now we will have to find an Alzheimer's unit at a long term care center around here. I feel so helpless, I feel so sorry for my hubby and his brother and boy do I miss my Mother n Law as she use to be, her mind, is greatly missed. I wish I could take care of her, I used to be a Nurses aide and Medication Tech for 14 years and if I wasn't so disabled I would take care of her, I hate that she has to be placed in a Nursing home, it is just so hard sometimes.So right now I really don't know what is happening , my hubby went there this morning , she lives about 2 miles from us and so no news yet on what will be done.
and so it goes
We along with this generation are dealing with our aging parents as well, what should we do when they no longer can take care of them selves.
My Mother n law who is 75, is a beautiful woman, who had a sharp mind. She never gossiped as speaking ill of someone, and is well liked by all that know her.
She never looked like many older women, she was always in style, being between a size 1 and 6 throughout her adult life and has always been thin, always took pride in her looks. When we would visit her and my hubby would catch up on all the news of what was going on with people they knew in common since they both grew up here, not in a gossipy way, just letting each other know who was sick or who got married or divorced, who had died, who moved , who came back home ,that kind of stuff. Mom knew everyone in this area and kept up on everyone. I had noticed about 5 or so years ago that she was forgetting things, was not as good at recollecting things. She would forget what she was saying, not so much that most would noticed, but I did and told hubby and he just poo pooed it. Well a couple of years ago she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and she has declined way too fast since then. A couple of weeks ago she dropped another BIG step down on the her mental latter. Most people think that those with Dementia drop steadily but Alzheimer's reach a plateau and may stay there for a short time or a long time then drop all of a sudden down a step and then stay there for awhile and so forth.Well she went off the deep end , she still living at home, her hubby had to call ambulance and they sedated her and sent her to the ER. We got to the ER she was pretty sedated, they recommended that she go to this real good Behavior ward at a hospital about 100 miles away. She had been there until yesterday.While there we all took turns visiting the 2 hours we were allotted each day. When we first visited they had taken her off all meds, to see where she really was, so we walk in and boy what a surprise.She was just not mom, We came in and she knew she should know us but did not know her son or me, she couldn't say 2 words together that meant anything and would ramble on incoherently. Well they put her on seroquel a drug for bi polar disease and using it off label for alzheimer's and having great results with it.They gave her a dose then see how she did for the next day and then increased it and waited a day or two to see how she did and so forth increasing as they went. So each time we came in there was a marked change in her condition, she was getting so much better each time , we were amazed at her improvement. I felt as did the hospital that she needed to go in a Long Term facility when they released her, but her hubby felt he needed to try it again at home and of course my hubby and his brother was relieved that he was, but I was not, I knew he was unable to cope with what I knew will happen but such as it is, So now she came home yesterday, and by that evening had another episode like she did before all this,she got violent and very angry with her hubby, 'step father ' to my hubby and his brother, and this morning the same thing going on.........so I expect that she will be sent back to hospital and now we will have to find an Alzheimer's unit at a long term care center around here. I feel so helpless, I feel so sorry for my hubby and his brother and boy do I miss my Mother n Law as she use to be, her mind, is greatly missed. I wish I could take care of her, I used to be a Nurses aide and Medication Tech for 14 years and if I wasn't so disabled I would take care of her, I hate that she has to be placed in a Nursing home, it is just so hard sometimes.So right now I really don't know what is happening , my hubby went there this morning , she lives about 2 miles from us and so no news yet on what will be done.
and so it goes
Saturday, January 9, 2010
BLOCKED GOALS AND DESIRES
Keys to living successful in Christ is to distinguish 'Godly goals and desires ' from our own goals and desires.purpose does not depend on people or circumstances that
are beyond our ability or right to control. If you think about it , who do you really have a right to control? No one but yourself. The fact of the matter is this, the only person who can block a Godly Goal or render it uncertain or impossible is YOU.
What are our desires and goals? They are a specific orientation that depends on the cooperation of other people or the success of events and circumstances that is beyond our control. As a Child of the Living GOD we can not base our self-worth or our personal success on our desires, no matter how godly we think them to be, because we can not control all the people around us or any circumstances that might come our way that will affect the fullfillment of our desires.
There are many people and many circumstances that will block our goals, that is a given in this life. And when they get blocked , what usually happens is that we might get angry, and if our desires are uncertain we will might feel anxious.If our goals and desires appear to be impossible we might get depressed. But think about this: what GOD given goal can there be that can be blocked , uncertain or even be impossible? Does the Scriptures say that "With GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE? Do the Scriptures say that "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME"?
No one can keep us from being who and what our GOD wants us to be except us. GOD distinguishes between what are GOALS and DESIRES. (1John 2:1) says :"My little children , I am writing these things to you that you may not sin." It is clear that GOD desires that we do not sin , but GOD's status as GOD and HIS purposes are never blocked by any of us who exercises our will against repentance. Even though it is GOD's desire and will that everyone repent even though many of us may choose not to. But praise be to the MOST HIGH that GOD accomplished HIS goal when Yah'shua/Jesus said "IT IS FINISHED" . What our GOD determined to do , HE has done, and will continue to do, and so since this is true, we all can be joyful and grateful that we will be all that HE created us to be!!!!!
Many of us I am sure have had our great plans, and our lofty goals and desires blocked by people, circumstances beyond our control. We didn't get our way at a certain meeting, we didn't get the grant we needed, or the loan to go to college. Face it many times we have had to readjust our plans for a variety of reasons. If we base who we are, if we base our life on the successes of our plans and desires which are all subject to people and circumstances beyond our control we will be on an emotional roller coaster ride all of our lives. But the key to all of this , the only way off the roller coaster is to walk by Faith according to the truth of GOD's WORD. Who we are , our identity must not be in our jobs, our skills, our talents, all subject to the uncontrollable circumstances of life, and the cooperation of others.
We must decide to become the person, the spouse, the parent, the leader, the friend, that GOD wants us to be. NO ONE CAN BLOCK THAT GOAL EXCEPT YOU, it is not dependant on any circumstance or other people.
Heavenly Parent, show me today where I have allowed others, and circumstances, instead of YOU, to determine what YOU want me to be.LORD show me YOUR purpose for my life, help me make them my goals as well.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
THE WORD ,SEED TIME AND HARVEST
"In the beginning was the Word (sperma,seed), and the Word(sperma,seed) was with God, and the Word(sperma,seed) was God;The same was in the beginning with God.All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.In him was life, and the life was the light of men." John 1:1-5 .Douay-Rheims BibleA true revelation of the LORD'S Word , and belief that the Scriptures are a revelation of the LORD'S will and ways are the two most important foundation elements in a Christian's life. Our faith in the inspiration of Scriptures is the primary target of the lies of Satan that we will face in our Christain walk. If our faith in the LORD, using Scriptures as his primary means of revelation to us by His Spirit is shattered in our thinking, then Satan has won the biggest battle in our lives.We can not move forward without it.
The Word of the LORD often refers to itself as a seed. There are a total of forty-four verses in the New Testament where the Greek word sperma was translated "seed." This is the same word from which we derive our English word "sperm."
In Mark 4, the Lord taught three parables that illustrate that the Word is to the kingdom of God what a natural seed is to a harvest. The first of these parables, the story of the sower, is the key to unlocking all the others (Mark 4:13). If we don't understand these truths, Jesus said, we won't understand any of His other parables.
The Lord used the comparison of His Word to a law of nature, which is unchangeable, it is not a man made institution.This law of nature is the Law of Seed time and harvest, and it can not be changed.
In order to conceive and give birth,to any need you have, whether it's for a miracle you need in your body or for the vision the LORD has given you, you must first plant the LORD'S Word like a seed in your soul. Conception, which eventually produces the fruit, cannot take place without first planting a seed.The law of seed-time and harvest cannot be violated. This is why our LORD chose to compare the way His Word works to a seed. The germination process of the Word of the LORD in our life takes time and can't be avoided.
A woman once she has conceived, the sperm unites with her egg, it will take 9 full months of gestation in the womb alone! After giving birth it then takes 18 +or- years for the baby to grow and mature! So just remember the Law of seedtime, there is a period of time from beginning to maturity before we can ever harvest the fruit of our labors of faith.
In the second parable of Mark 4, Jesus said,
"So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come" (Mark 4:26-29).This seed which is planted, is the Word of the LORD (Mark 4:14), and the ground is our souls, our minds our hearts (Mark 4:15). Our souls were created by the LORD to bring forth fruit when His Word His Seed/Sperma is planted in them. Just as a seed has to remain in the ground over time to germinate, so the Word of the LORD has to abide and remain in us.
Jesus said in John 15:7,
"If ye abide in me, and my words(seeds) abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."Lets say we planted a seed in our garden and then every day we would dig it up to see if anything was sprouted? Doing that every day would kill the seed and never produce fruit. To be a successful gardner we have to have faith that the seed (word/promises of God)is doing what the LORD created it to do.
Many of us are guilty of sowing the LORD'S Word(seed)in the garden of our minds our souls , but if we don't see fruit almost immediately, we dig up the seed through our words and actions and then we wonder why it didn't work, we lose what little faith we had, we say to ourselves 'that all this faith stuff is nonsense and lies.' But in most cases if not all cases it is our fault, because we are not informed as to how the process of seed time and harvest works. It must be left in the ground over time. Then, there are also different stages of growth.
Mark 4:28 says,
"First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."Many of us are very impatient, wanting to bypass the natural growth cycle and get the full ear right now.We live in a world where patience is not a virtue.
The laws of Nature mirrors the Laws of Spirit and so the term 'as above so below, so below as above' is Truth. Just as the farmer plants in the growing season we must also. A farmer does not sow seeds in the winter but waits until Spring. In the time of Winter we must as the farmer gather up the seeds and make plans and then when the weather breaks plant our seeds. During the winter we must gather up the Word of God, we must study and chew on the word until our soil of our minds and souls are ready and prepared to receive the word of life in our Souls. We must renew our minds daily to have the mind of Christ in all of our lives, and that takes study, meditation, contemplation, it means we must carve out the time in our busy schedules to till our soil, apply nutrients to our soil so that when the time is right the word and seed of God will take root. Listen, many of us are believing the LORD for the first time, and have not prepared our soil, so what ever we think we have planted in our souls is not going to happen, not because the seed wasn't good, but because we are expecting a complete ear of corn immediately and that is not the Law of Spirit or Nature .Because we have never believed God for any thing before. There has to be "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."We need to start small and work up in the process. As we find promises of God that the Spirit opens our eyes and ears to, and begin to believe for them, and in due time receive what we pray, then the bigger things will not be a problem to believe for.
The LORD'S kingdom operates on laws, like the laws that govern the fruit-bearing process of a seed. God will not give us the full ear of corn if we haven't seen the first blade. That's the way God's kingdom works.This is precisely the reason most people don't see God's best come to pass in their lives. They have what is called The lottery faith. They think that since the LORD loves them, He will just grant their request regardless of whether they put the miracle of the seed to work or not.
This law of seed-time and harvest operates in every area of our lives. If we will plant God's Word in our hearts, then we must allow time for the seed to germinate and the plant to grow to maturity, we will then be able to reap the fruit of our harvest. That is God's best!
I cannot tell you strongly enough how important it is that you know and believe God's Word and that you plant the seed of His Word in your heart and mind with meditation and prayer, long before you need the fruit of the harvest. It takes time for it to germinate, but with continued study, prayer, standing in faith, the word will sprout and bloom and bear much fruit but only in its season.It could mean the difference between prosperity and poverty, or even life and death. Faith only works when the known will of God is known, and that takes, prayer, study, and time spent in communion with our LORD.
May you reap a harvest of the fruit of the Spirit in your life.
Shalom
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