Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Evil Front-Loader, I Hate You!

Monday, April 20, 2009 at 2:40pm

I'm sitting on hold. "Please wait" keeps repeating in an automated female voice. -Stupid, evil, anthropomorphised front-loader washing machine!

My poor mom. One day they (her doctors) are saying that she is not doing well enough to get rehab. That she is not capable of doing it, and improving. That her disease is all down hill from here. That what we should be looking at here is making her comfortable, and making sure that she is not in pain. And that it all comes down to this one last chance shot with the physical therapist. She has to demonstrate that PT would not be a waste of money and time on her...So I'm there. I make sure to prompt my mom before hand and let her know how important it is that she does her absolute best. -And she does! She is amazing! She rocks it! She does SO WELL, in fact, that we OVERSHOOT! She does so well that she is not eligible for physical therapy at a rehab facility because she is doing so well. She is however, released from the hospital, and they will be giving her in home PT. *CRAP!* ...However...I am happy to have her home. I really am. I missed her. I had no idea how much I would miss her.

So now she's home. And I'm taking time off work to be here with her, and make sure that everything's ok. But there's this new development. My mom is a lot stronger and clearer than when she went into the hospital. BUT! She is also incontinent right now. (Bad sign. -This only happens very rarely, when she's having an exacerbation) She's embarassed by it. And I assure her that it's no big deal, and that there's nothing to be embarassed about. I take her to the bathroom and clean her up. Then I set her down on the toilet, to finish her business and go clean up her bed. I strip the sheets down, throw them into the washing machine, putting detergent in the main cycle wash, and also the prewash; and go back to check on mom. Before I make it out of the kitchen, I hear it: beep, beep, beep, beep. I return to the evil front-loader to find it mocking me in my piss covered hell. Not only is it refusing to do the "quick load of wash" that I promised my mom, it has also locked the door, so that I cannot rescue the bedding and take it to the laundromat to be cleaned by a *real washing machine*! I will come back to this later...first I have to finish cleaning the mattress and making the bed as best I can. So I do that. I get my Momavarious back in bed, and give her a snack. Then I call Sears. It will be at least a week before they can get out to fix it. Nevermind that they have been here TWICE in the last month, and it's still broken. I explain the situation with my mom, and how she just got out of the hospital, and how I really need to be able to do her laundry especially since she's already embarassed about being incontinent, and I need to be here...not running out to the laundromat (which is what I'm going to have to do *&#^@*) the nice lady booking the appointment puts me on hold and tries her best to get me a sooner one. She comes back and tells me that they can't get me in today, but that they will try for tomorrow. And now..I'm off to the store for a package of depends, some diet soda, and a frozen pizza. 'Cause I am not cooking. I am gross and tired. And I am trying my best to have an optimistic attitude. I think I need to chill out and watch a movie with my mom. And try to be normal for a couple of hours. 
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    • Jenn Knight 
      many hugs!


      i know we've never talked about this but i know (a bit) about what you're going through and while i'm sure you've been told this before you are both amazing and incredibly strong.


      having an ill (and incontinent) parent is it's own kind of hell - treat yourself to "normal" moments as much as possible. they're the key to your sanity and your mom will enjoy them too!

      and best of luck with Sears ... :)

      April 20, 2009 at 5:29pm · 

    • Perian Sully oh honey. I had no idea you were dealing with this. My thoughts go out to you and your mom.
      April 20, 2009 at 5:44pm · 

    • Vanessa Medina Sears is "the devil"...but on the upside..."the devil" is trying to fit me in sometime tomorrow. ;-)
      Thanks for the support ladies! I need it! BIGTIME!

      April 20, 2009 at 6:13pm · 

    • Vanessa Medina Sears finally came through Jenn! :-)
      April 22, 2009 at 11:48pm · 

    • Jenn Knight Most excellent!

      I hope that having your mom home is going well - I know sometimes it can feel like a mixed blessing. It's great that she got out of the hospital. I am thoroughly convinced those places strip people of personality and strength - my mom has always been so much more herself at home than when she was hospitalized.

      Anyway - keep the chin up (and the normal movie nights going)! Much love from the East Bay!

      April 23, 2009 at 9:34pm · 

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