D.I.D....

Hi @Former-Member, @Determined.

Still pretty quiet with Older Daughter. After the really bad recent run when we seriously thought we might lose her, she's been really resisiting the SH urges. Initially part of the motivation for that was to get to the point where supported housing might be an option, but that's effectively ruled out now anyway. It's a youth mental health program so cuts out at 25, and her 25th birthday is significantly less than a year away now. She wouldn't be able to stay for the full year's program. BUT she's been getting very enthusiastic about some craft projects she's got on the go, and seems to be making some connections regarding MH approaches that have had her a bit mystified in the past. You sort of don't get as much out of it when it seems incomprehensible and irrelevant.

When I was talking with her yesterday, I brought up the subject of looking into whether there's an underlying neurological disorder, and was able to talk about why we think it's a possibility. Hope she does decide to follow that through after all.

And I've got my tickets booked for going up to Mum and Dad's place next week- Monday through to Friday. It's hard being there on my own at any time, and the cold weather makes it even less attractive, but the house isn't going to empty itself... I'll probably only go into the aged care home for one visit while there. Not being able to transport myself makes it difficult, and I need to get some solid housesorting time in. Dreading the trip, but reminding myself that the worst part of it is the actual departure.

Gonna miss the garden while I'm gone. 😕 I'll console myself with the thought that some of the seeds I've planted may have come up by the time I get back.

(Of course I miss the family too- but at least I can talk with them on the phone. Plants aren't good at holding up their end of the conversation.)

Hopefully you will make good progress at the folks place @Smc while you are there.

Lovely to hear things relatively steady.

@Smc

Checking in @Smc

hello and hugs @Smc

Awww, sweet kitty @outlander. 🙂 We had a similar fluffy ginger cat when I was a teenager.

Hi all.... Happy to say it's all still relatively settled with Older Daughter. I'm finding she's coming out with some impulsive ideas lately. All things that are focused around making some kind of change in her life- changes of companions/housemate, wanting to get a job. She's got a good, stable position sharing a unit with her brother, and a very good landlady. Moving house would not be a good idea. I'm trying to talk her around to looking into more practical changes she could make, like finding interest groups that meet at times and places she could get to asa way of getting a broader social circle.

Mum and Dad... am really not sure how much longer we'll have them for. I was visiting Mum when the nurse came in to clean her infected leg and change the dressing. He confirmed that it's gone beyond "curable" and into "wound management", which my sister and I had realised some time ago. It's nasty. Bacterial, doesn't respond to antibiotics, and is slowly spreading in all directions- broader and deeper. I can't fault their care- they're doing an exemplary job in that regard, except that sometimes the dressing change happens later in the day than ideal due to the fact that they've got a lot of people to care for, but they're very fussy and thorough with their hygeine.

A long standing infection like that carries a very real possibility of sepsis developing, which would probably be more than her body could take. We may need to have an "end of life care plan" discussion when we're all visiting next month, and get something in place specifically regarding what to do if that situation arises. Am not sure how she'll handle having to be that specific about possibilities.

Dad is still content enough, still coherent enough to have an enjoyable chat, but he seems to be more inclined to randomly nod off to sleep, even in mid conversation. That in itself is often a sign of life gently winding down. The body and mind are plain tired.

I keep feeling so thankful though that they've ended up in a really good home. Life doesn't last forever, but at least the last bit of theirs is being spent with them being well cared for in a friendly setting. I don't think we could have gotten better.

Checking in @Smc

Ta @Former-Member.

Still generally "all quiet". Older Daughter rang us yesterday afternoon, said she was having trouble with intrusive thoughts, and suggesting the sensible solution of going out to a movie- a funny kids movie that would have some good harmless laughs. (The new Toy Story movie...) So I rejigged my dinner plans to something that would be ready earlier so that we could make it to the evening session. So that want well.

But me myself, am depressed and somewhat anxious too. Having weird dreams including one last night about Dad's shed being broken into, and some things visibly missing, but we had no way of knowing what was gone because we haven't been able to sort any of that stuff yet. Glad it's only a dream, but I think it shows that I'm uneasy about the unoccupied house and its contents just sitting there. Oooh we need to get that place off our minds, but it's a long way to go yet.

Doesn't help that there were signs of someone having poked around the yard last time I was there. Nothing appeared to have been taken, but it was a bit disturbing. I made an effort to block off the driveway gate before leaving. It would still be possible to get into the backyard, but somewhat more difficult.

When are you due to go up next @Smc ? Is it worth a call to the local constabulary?