Everyone seems to be worn more than just a bit thin recently, what with caregiving duties, grieving lost loved ones, the holidays and the drama that often comes with all of that from our families and/or friends.
I thought I'd start a somewhat lighter thread, where we can post our hopes and wishes for 2017. Feel free to share yours.
Windy -you got what you wanted early!
I'm popping in from time to time, just less frequently. It's hard to see everyone struggle with caregiving - it brings up hard memories.
I'll have to post an update - there's been a lot happening since the last time I was here (about 10 months ago).
All I want for 2018 is to continue recovering financially from Mom's passing (seems to be taking forever, as things keep happening to sabotage it, like having to put a roof on this house that I never wanted in the first place, and which still isn't in my name, so technically isn't "mine"...).
...to get my VA training course up and running and 100 people enrolled by the end of the first quarter of 2018.
...to get my van AND the mortgage on this house paid off in early 2018. The house is so close to being paid off I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Then there are the property taxes to deal with.
...to be able to enjoy doing some traveling and volunteering. I've signed up to be a "transport buddy" for the animal shelter in the neighboring county, which transports animals to other rescues and shelters within the state, rather than euthanizing them. I would be able to travel on day trips and get the animals to their new locations.
I'll post an update later in the whine thread, when I get a chance. Probably later tonight or tomorrow.
For me, 2017 was a tough year, but as it ends, my caregiving days are over. :-) I have my letter from my dad for reimbursement. Whether or not reimbursement happens is kinda irrelevant to my moving on, though. He's doing fine and I've washed my hands of things, have asked my mom to please go see Elder Law attorney. I was informed today that there is a good offer on my grandparents' old house I lived in the past 6 years, fixed it up so much during the time I was there. I'll be glad to see a new family move in and take over the place. It's a brick bungalow in a clean neighborhood, on a nice street. There were times I surely did not know how things could end on a positive note, but they have. I'm grateful.
All I want for 2018 is decent, secure employment. That's a good goal and I think about it, read about it, all the time. Onward and upward.
Wishing everyone a good start to the new year.
Jessebelle and Susan A43 are missing from the forum.
Others are still here,
ALL I WANT FOR 2017 IS .............
It's excruciating. She's dying one day, then she pops up like the energizer bunny. Don't get me wrong. I love my mom. I always will and I try to do my best by her.
She is on hospice for failure to thrive. She has lost 5 pounds in a month and is now 79 pounds. All we have to go on is info from her ER visits in the past two months and an EKG from a visit in 2014.
She always refused to see a doctor her whole life.
I want some peace for her and for me.
This is so very difficult.
There are days I want to scream why won't God take her home?
To be able to sleep in
Financial peace of mind
Happiness
Free back surgery and/or medical marijuana card
All of us girlfriends will be here for you.
*A winning lottery ticket, it doesn't have to be a really big prize, a million is fine ;)
*A personal chef
*Someone just a phone call away who will come at a moment's notice to take care of mom's bowel accidents (some of you may remember that thread)
Get more involved in social causes and exercise my civic responsibility.
Help my special needs niece learn to read and to write her name.
Rekindle more old friendships with friends I haven't seen in years.
Get the renovations to my house completed.
Get to my goal weight and in top physical shape.
Be able to start in my new career.
Be financially successful and able to treat my parents to a beach vacation.
Get engaged.
Thank you for starting this post. And for mentioning Tom Selleck. Its funny because I recently watched Three Men and a Baby and Three Men and a Little Lady. Tom is so handsome and sweet. I went looking for clips of the movie on YouTube and discovered Tom has been on a new TV show on CBS called Blue Bloods. I cannot believe that show has been on for 7 seasons, but I only started watching it in 2017. For a 72 year old man, he still looks good. So I having him in your kitchen is not a bad idea.:-)
The one thing I want for 2017 is to have my dad back, but I know that is not realistic. I guess then, to survive this full year without my dad. To honor his memory. And to continue to get up every day and be a good person if I can. I can't even think of anything fun for now. I know people want me to travel and to try new things, but I find it too hard. Miss my old life with my dad still.
Thank you again for this post. When I am more hopeful, I hope I can add something fun to my lists.
Just ran across this thread when I was wondering where you went off to lately.
At last report, Tom Selleck is at least 72, be careful what we wish for, even though I like him too, is your kitchen wheelchair accessible? Lol. And that apron? He is a big man, the apron may be just big enough to use as a bib........
if he starts to drool.....
...to have Tom Selleck in my kitchen in nothing but an apron every morning.
...to have uncaring relatives forced to perform a tour of duty in the memory care ward of the local nursing home...preferably on bedpan and diaper changing duty.
...or are those too much to ask for? lol
All I want in 2017 is....
...to reclaim my house from the madness that has taken over during my DD's stay here with her kids.
...to refinish the floors in the house, repair any damage done by the kids that seems to somehow get "hidden" until I accidentally discover it, and enjoy the nice, clean house that STAYS clean when I clean it.
....to recover financially from the above-mentioned situation. (The impact hasn't been horrible, but there's definitely *has* been an impact.)
...to finally get to the end of all the seemingly-endless paperwork and phone calls surrounding Mom's passing 6 months ago.
...to be able to resume normal everyday activities on a full-time basis and not work from my darn bed! (It's slowly getting better but definitely not 100% yet - not even close.)
....to see Mom's ashes placed where Dad's were released, per her wishes. It will hurt all over again, but we all need this closure.
..to enjoy life and start to understand what it is to be alone, without responsibility for anyone but myself - something I have never, ever had in my adult life. SO looking forward to that.