One of the funniest movies I have ever watched was Planes, Trains, and Automobiles about a man trying to travel home in time for Thanksgiving and everything that can go wrong - does!
By the time it got to the part where they are driving in a burned out car frame, I had tears running down my face from laughing so hard.
Kind of feels like my week - everything that could go wrong - did - only I am not laughing:
Pains - Includes the normal aches and pains from Parkinson's, but add to it a yucky summer cold - and some family pains in the ... umm... neck!!
Drains - One of ours stopped - draining that is. My efforts to clear it out on my own so that I didn't have to call a plumber, resulted in a broken pipe .... and a call to the plumber!
Auto Machines - (That's auto for automatic) For months now our dryer timer has been broken, but, hey - the dryer still works - we just have to remember to turn it off (and hope we don't burn down the house when we forget and leave it running for several hours.) This week our wash machine decided to start stopping in the middle of cycles. It also still runs - if we go down and turn it back on. So we now have a dryer that won't turn off and a wash machine that won't stay turned on! Got to love machines!!!
Not a fun week! But - life is still good! It isn't always pretty though!
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
Denied - Long Term Care Insurance
Hubby and I both applied for Long Term Care Insurance. I told him it was a waste of time for me to apply and I was right. Not at all surprising, I was denied and he was accepted.
This insurance company is not very smart though. Here are 3 simple facts they should have considered instead of just the fact that I have Parkinson's and Hubby is healthy (on paper).
1. I am way healthier than Hubby overall, and my health habits are way better than Hubby's are. I may have Parkinson's but Hubby is currently on the track for a whole realm of other bad health stuff, including diabetes, strokes, heart problems, joint problems, etc. etc. If I were a betting woman (apparently I am as I applied for insurance) I would wager that Hubby's overall health will decline way before mine.
2. Hubby has a kind, nurturing, caretaker kind of personality. If I need a caretaker, he will take care of me until he drops for as long as he can. He will not put me in long term care until someone forces him too. It's his personality - it's just the way he is!
3. I, on the other hand, will put Hubby in long term care as soon as it even appears that I might have to take on the caretaker role. I will be supportive and loving and visit him regularly and even occasionally help his long term caretakers - but I do not have a kind, nurturing, caretaker bone in my body! (Sorry Hubby, but you married me this way!!)
Perhaps Long Term Care Insurance Companies should use different criteria on who they accept and who they don't. I am pretty sure they chose poorly in our case!
(Just in case you haven't figured it out - this is a satire and I am not serious about anything I wrote... except the part that I do not have a caretaker personality. That part, I was totally serious about... Oh... and also the part about Hubby having a caretaker personality. That part, I was totally serious about... Oh yeah... and also the part about me being the healthy one and Hubby not being the healthy one. That part, I was totally serious about... And...uumm... also the part about the Insurance company choosing poorly. That part, I was totally serious about too... The rest was satire!)
This insurance company is not very smart though. Here are 3 simple facts they should have considered instead of just the fact that I have Parkinson's and Hubby is healthy (on paper).
1. I am way healthier than Hubby overall, and my health habits are way better than Hubby's are. I may have Parkinson's but Hubby is currently on the track for a whole realm of other bad health stuff, including diabetes, strokes, heart problems, joint problems, etc. etc. If I were a betting woman (apparently I am as I applied for insurance) I would wager that Hubby's overall health will decline way before mine.
2. Hubby has a kind, nurturing, caretaker kind of personality. If I need a caretaker, he will take care of me until he drops for as long as he can. He will not put me in long term care until someone forces him too. It's his personality - it's just the way he is!
3. I, on the other hand, will put Hubby in long term care as soon as it even appears that I might have to take on the caretaker role. I will be supportive and loving and visit him regularly and even occasionally help his long term caretakers - but I do not have a kind, nurturing, caretaker bone in my body! (Sorry Hubby, but you married me this way!!)
Perhaps Long Term Care Insurance Companies should use different criteria on who they accept and who they don't. I am pretty sure they chose poorly in our case!
(Just in case you haven't figured it out - this is a satire and I am not serious about anything I wrote... except the part that I do not have a caretaker personality. That part, I was totally serious about... Oh... and also the part about Hubby having a caretaker personality. That part, I was totally serious about... Oh yeah... and also the part about me being the healthy one and Hubby not being the healthy one. That part, I was totally serious about... And...uumm... also the part about the Insurance company choosing poorly. That part, I was totally serious about too... The rest was satire!)
Friday, March 21, 2014
Sunshine makes me happy!
Today I am grateful for sunshine. Beautiful, bright, glowing, glorious, warm, wonderful sunshine! I love the way it feels on my very sunshine needy body. Almost makes we want to take all my clothes off to soak up all the rays! I said ALMOST! I will spare my neighbors that experience. However if I lived out in the country with no-one around...
Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy - very happy!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
The movie "Son of God" and CeeLo Green - Mary Did You Know (The Bible)
)
We went to see the movie "Son of God" tonight! I thought it was very well done, but if you go take lots of tissues!
I am so grateful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - for His example and teachings, for His sacrifice, and for His resurrection. I just wish I were a better follower. Sadly, I have too many traits that keep me from following Him the way I should. As I watched the movie tonight - I realized some of His disciples had the same traits - fear, doubts, lack of understanding, questions, and even fearful denial. Yet - He kept teaching them, and helping them to grow in faith, line upon line, precept upon precept - and He does the same with me and all of us - ever so patiently and lovingly.
Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) - and He is "the light of the world" (John 8:12). What a blessing His light is too us - as we try to find the right path in this very dark world!
We went to see the movie "Son of God" tonight! I thought it was very well done, but if you go take lots of tissues!
I am so grateful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - for His example and teachings, for His sacrifice, and for His resurrection. I just wish I were a better follower. Sadly, I have too many traits that keep me from following Him the way I should. As I watched the movie tonight - I realized some of His disciples had the same traits - fear, doubts, lack of understanding, questions, and even fearful denial. Yet - He kept teaching them, and helping them to grow in faith, line upon line, precept upon precept - and He does the same with me and all of us - ever so patiently and lovingly.
Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) - and He is "the light of the world" (John 8:12). What a blessing His light is too us - as we try to find the right path in this very dark world!
Friday, January 17, 2014
CM - Where are you???
Oh where Oh where has the blogger gone,
Oh where Oh where can she be?
She sets up a blog, and says we'll have fun
Oh where Oh where can she be?
Bet you are wondering what happened to me - aren't you?
Yeah? - well me too!!
But I survived it all - wasn't sure I was going to, but I did!
What is "it all" - you ask?
How long do you have to read? Not long you say?
Well then - I will give you the shortened version of the highlights!
Here "it all" is - the good and the bad!
Good - Got to be labor coach for the birth of grandchild # 18.
Bad - Missed the actual birth of grandchild #18 - cause the doctor said it would be another hour so we went to the cafeteria to grab a quick bite - and not even 5 minutes after we left - the impatient little grandson literally flew into the world before we could rush back after getting the text he was on his way!!!
Bad - My almost brand new (3 months, 3000 miles) Subaru Outback that I had fallen in love with - tangled with a semi and lost! (I have decided this was a message from God to not fall in love with material things!!!) - No one was hurt - but it took almost 2 months for them to fix the damage - and we all know the Subaru will never be the same. :(
Good - Hubby changed jobs - which gave him a raise - solved all of our health care and retirement concerns (see this post - http://cmfalling.blogspot.com/2013/09/money-or-time-qestions-decisions-and.html ) - reduced his stress level, and blessed him with the extra time needed to deal with a bunch of stuff (like car repairs, baby births, and mortgage refinance screw ups!)
Bad - Hubby had to leave a job he absolutely loved, but the new job miraculously dropped into his lap and they made him an offer he could not refuse! (see above). Hopefully he will come to love this job too!!
Good - We were able to refinance our mortgage and got an amazing rate saving us a bunch of money.
Bad - We had to navigate through a horrible mortgage refinance screw up (caused by a loan officer's incompetency) which caused us weeks of hassles, and numerous phone calls to get the mess fixed and transferred to a competent loan officer who helped us finally get back on track - and accomplish what should have been a very short and simple process to begin with - all during the Christmas holiday!!
Good - I got another chance to be the birth coach for the birth of grandchild #19. Unlike the previous grandchild who was in a big hurry - this one came into the world slowly and reluctantly. And she was not happy about it either!! But I got to witness the amazing miracle of birth and she is adorable and adjusting to the cold harsh reality of this world! As are her brothers!
So all in all - I am still here and alive and kicking (and sometimes shaking)! And most importantly, I can say I survived! (Barely)
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
I am thankful!
Some of the things I am
for:
My husband
My children
My children-in-laws
My grandchildren - all 18 (soon to be 19) of them
My siblings and their families
My extended family
My Daily Strength Friends
All my Friends
My doctors
Their hardworking nurses
Health Insurance
My job and my husband's job
Good health
Sinemet
The ability to walk and run
The ability to smile and laugh
My walking path
Sunshine
Beaches
My nice toasty warm house
My Subaru Outback
Books
Hot Chocolate
Any kind of chocolate
Movie Theaters
Facebook
Computers
Blankets
Beds
Sleep
Vacations
Warm coats, gloves, & boots
Washing machines and dryers
Bath tubs
Hot water heaters
Restaurants
Grocery stores
My son-in-law who is willing to cook the turkey this year
My daughter who is making a chocolate pie
Costco pumpkin pie
Holidays
And...I am thankful
I am not a turkey!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 11, 2013
Remembering to look up!
The path I walk on and surrounding ground was thickly covered with leaves all this week. Near the end of my walk yesterday I glanced up and scanned the scenery around me and was immediately struck by the beauty of all the colors spread throughout the surrounding forest ... and surprised by the fact that many of the trees were almost all bare now. When did that happen?, I wondered. It seemed like the trees were just starting to turn colors! The day before, I didn't notice that the leaves were almost all off the trees, even though I was keenly aware that the path was covered with them as they crunched under my feet. Then it hit me. I have not been looking up much while walking lately, instead I have been focusing my eyes down on what is right in front of me, for a good reason, to make sure I did not stumble on sticks or cracks. Furthermore, my mind tends to wander and do some processing while I walk. It's actually quite therapeutic! Apparently I was so occupied with other thoughts this week during my walks, that I missed out on seeing what was going on around me, I missed seeing some of the beauty of the Fall season.
I think in some small ways, I have been doing that with life too. I have been taking things day by day, staying focused on what is right in front of me, so that I don't get overwhelmed and so that I don't do too much projecting about the future. I often find myself focusing inward a lot, processing emotions and feelings. For me this is a necessary and unavoidable part of dealing with health issues, and this coping method is not a bad thing in and of itself. It allows me to deal with the immediate concerns at hand while trying to stay positive and upbeat.
After my walk yesterday, I started thinking and wondering - if I might be missing out on other things going on around me because of my day to day functioning method, if my life might be out of balance a little. As I think about it a little more, I can see that in some ways the task by task thinking pattern helps me to escape thinking about this disease and perhaps is my way of staying in denial land a bit. But, at the same time, in a way it is also keeping me extremely focused on this disease, perhaps at the expense of other things - if that makes any sense. Because of this day to day focus, I wonder if I am keeping myself from experiencing my life more fully...from seeing things all around me because I am pre-occupied or have limited my scope of thinking to the immediate future and am staying away as much as possible about thinking about the long term future.
Don't get me wrong, my life is fulfilling and for the most part I am happy and satisfied. But because of my experience yesterday while walking, I realize that if I am not careful, I may look up some day and notice I missed out on some parts of the beautiful seasons of my life. I just need to make sure to keep my focus and my life balanced, and remember to look up regularly to also see all around me, to make sure I am participating in my life the way I really want too!
I think in some small ways, I have been doing that with life too. I have been taking things day by day, staying focused on what is right in front of me, so that I don't get overwhelmed and so that I don't do too much projecting about the future. I often find myself focusing inward a lot, processing emotions and feelings. For me this is a necessary and unavoidable part of dealing with health issues, and this coping method is not a bad thing in and of itself. It allows me to deal with the immediate concerns at hand while trying to stay positive and upbeat.
After my walk yesterday, I started thinking and wondering - if I might be missing out on other things going on around me because of my day to day functioning method, if my life might be out of balance a little. As I think about it a little more, I can see that in some ways the task by task thinking pattern helps me to escape thinking about this disease and perhaps is my way of staying in denial land a bit. But, at the same time, in a way it is also keeping me extremely focused on this disease, perhaps at the expense of other things - if that makes any sense. Because of this day to day focus, I wonder if I am keeping myself from experiencing my life more fully...from seeing things all around me because I am pre-occupied or have limited my scope of thinking to the immediate future and am staying away as much as possible about thinking about the long term future.
Don't get me wrong, my life is fulfilling and for the most part I am happy and satisfied. But because of my experience yesterday while walking, I realize that if I am not careful, I may look up some day and notice I missed out on some parts of the beautiful seasons of my life. I just need to make sure to keep my focus and my life balanced, and remember to look up regularly to also see all around me, to make sure I am participating in my life the way I really want too!
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