And help you did

 Thanks to all who shared information on altering gowns.  I never thought about the Velcro in the wash catching all the threads and floating dryer debris.   Small snaps are not easy to secure with arthritis, and my preference would be a loop that could be slipped over a large button at shoulder.  Alterations were never a problem but my mental status these days leaves no room for frustration.  Luckily, after hours searching online retailers for her size in stock, I found a site called AllHeart which offered three styles.  Bingo.  Off the hook.  She will have more dusters and muumuus than she needs but probably a good thing since the four occlusions and two clots in the calf of her left leg resulted in ulcers, no pants for a long while.  Although excruciating pain, it feels like cement.  She just can't move it.

Removed the border outline and adjusted, still slow progress.  

We have several businesses that won't do our mandated sewage lines because of the layout here, and we're at the point of a bulldozer coming and leveling the pergola, deck, concrete, barnstone walls, shrubs, and ornamental trees.  Taxes rising again, I need to get out of here.  

My sister's nurses are all wonderful and it's nice that this unit has a fridge for patient treats.  Help them by listing numbers that are monitored so they don't have to search.

Have a good day folks.

Once again, you always offer help and support when needed and I greatly appreciate it.

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Sewist help

 Hi everyone.  Asking for help or suggestions on altering dusters into adaptive clothing.  Mom was bed ridden for over a year and I slit the back of jumpers and dusters, hemmed edges, tied the top, and she had nice clothes for any occasion.  Jumpers were best since her top could be kept on for warmth through day to night changes.  

The wonderful silky print "muumuus" with pockets will be great during (hopefully) recovery and the unbelievable number of prints was a surprise (Amerimark).  But she can't wear them in facility because the backs do not open.  So I ordered a load of woven fabric dusters and house coats to alter.  My order from Woman Within was placed two weeks ago, not shipped yet, and they won't allow cancellation.  So I will send them all back without even opening since orders from other retailers were here in days.  Buck and Buck and Silverts offer great items, but she's not crazy about jersey fabric.  I purchased a size larger and expected to slightly overlap but that would require ties, velcro, snaps for modesty during therapy.  Here's what I'm planning and if you sewists have any other suggestions, I would appreciate the guidance.

This drawing was on the Buck and Buck site and I believe ideal solution, will be ordering from here also.  But I need extras, seems she is always getting blood stains from new sticks.  All the dusters are various colors and prints so a neutral muslin or mini print will be used to add a piece (French seam) to one side of the cut back, wide enough to offer coverage without fastener bumps to dig in when reclining.  If cotton tape with snaps is used across the top of added modesty panel, that would give stability and closure in one, right?

Opinions?

Suggestions?

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Thank you

 for the emails, anonymous gifts, concern, and prayers.  I thought I would update rather than reply by individual emails (with this hand, once and done), or with my new baby stylus (thank you!) for a phone that needs minutes reloaded.  What a time saver that has been.  Using a precise point instead of a fat bent finger has prevented medical updates from being sent to Dominos, hair stylist, tanning salon, and a few others.    

She has improved and recovered somewhat, in transitional care, soon to be sent to a SNF with extreme pain continuing. I was first asked why I wasn't told that she will probably not survive, and now told if she doesn't take the risk she'll die anyway.  Tact would have been appreciated.  Amputation is an option, wait until bad enough for hospice, or take a chance.  Chance.  But when?  It's a long and tedious route these weeks with no answers.  I am making arrangements for CC procedures, but with their load of patients, it doesn't come quickly.  I've been scolded, insulted, and yelled at by providers and my sister, and I wish there was someone to hand it all to, but there isn't.  Her son has difficulty interpreting as if dyslexia has taken over his entire body, and I am exhausted.  Ativan to help calm the strong PVCs that prevent deep sleep combined with 5am calls from her doctor, has me in bed hours earlier than ever before. 

That shortens stitching time and two fingers flailing like whirlygigs on a shaky hand already saddled with bent and triggered others isn't helping.  Some thread colors were slightly changed in the body, but not by much (darker teal and gold) and I was surprised because the chart photo looks very drab.  I do like my changes in flower color but maybe it wasn't necessary.  Too late.  I want to order a few samplers and Nan's pears are a must have.  Maybe this evening.  So much to do, and it seems nothing is ever accomplished. 

 Never before have I had to do so much in patient progress notes and test results and printing and phone calls and schedules and explaining what happened and asking why an infection can't be identified and how many fissures before your tongue is no longer a tongue.  We can't get any answers on the vascular procedures until a phone appointment on 27th, and take it from there.  I doubt if I'll get an answer regarding my tongue.

I can't believe this is the middle of April.  Petey is low income, no taxes to file.

Thanks again for keeping in touch to send your prayers and caring thoughts, greatly appreciated.

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No words

 Hi folks.  I have no idea when or if I will be back.  I have no idea when my guts will stop shaking.  We were not prepared for this, and have been asked by two doctors, "didn't the Clinic talk to you about her condition?".  No.  Heart specialists, and maybe once it is fixed, you are sent back home to have others treat declining health.

We don't know how this week will end, other than listening to her sobbing uncontrollably in pain begging me for help and I can't tell her there is none.  I can't even talk to nurse or doctor without losing my breath, unintelligible, needing to hand the phone to my husband.  I can't be there, and I hate that, but I can't hold it together and I want her to have hope.  Her son is losing it now too during limited visits.  Grandson tomorrow at noon, and no one else allowed until the next day.   Delirium is making it so much worse, lacking reason, memory, understanding, and thinking no one loves her, alone in a strange room unable to walk.  Why.  

Take care of yourselves.

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Brats

 I will update when there is positive news. 

Until then, here's a few spring brats driving me insane.

Yes, our world has been turned upside down.

Vet was closed for 10 days, and some days our Budman will eat.  I think he is strong enough regardless of failing heart to have teeth removed.  

 

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Saturday

 Wait.  No?  Whatever.  When I don't bitch about snow, you know I'm preoccupied.  So here's some boring bunk from a Saturday before it even arrives.

First and most important, my sister is not going to a nursing home as they said.  Even though our hospital was still evaluating her files for admission (not even 24 hours), they were telling her to choose another because there was no response from here.  Yes there was.  To me.  She waited a full week for a bed in Cleveland while condition worsened, and they can't hold her another day?  Tomorrow at dinner time we will be relieved to have her here, recovering from her failing heart (thank you Clinic), and praying her clots dissolve and do not move.  Feeling better today, actually sitting, she said it is excruciating to have her legs hang but after a week of begging, no pain evaluation, no diagnosis.  We move on.  One day we may find a pain doc locally to help her with what I am 95% sure is CRPS.  Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.  

 As for the elder issue and pain meds, every one of our friends have been livid and dealt with the same issue.  Two of my aunts in their 90's without dementia almost overdosed on heart meds, which family corrected by using pharmacies that offer pill packs and that fabulous clock (I need this).  Pain med monitoring is necessary, but in cases of quality of life for our seniors, essential.

Anyway, I've been rambling for weeks and never had dryness, fissures, and intense burning to this extent.  I had to continually stop and grease my mouth during calls with family and clinic.  The inside of my lips are the worst because that's where speech obtains clarity, but when lips dry, don't move, no one can understand you.

I removed the 420 in the body of Margret after realizing it was incorrect and replaced with the 840 as charted.  I want the vivid border, but the body as it should be.  The darker brown is 3031

This is my tiny phone and without my Penn State nubby (it's what I call them) my fat bent finger that now is a trigger would not be able to get one letter correct.  I need more of these.

And homemade mac and cheese.  Carole likes some gouda in hers, Chris and Mark cheddar and hot pepper, Ron prefers swiss and white cheddar,  Nancy brick and cheddar.  I cant't eat anything but diary without salt or pepper so I guess mine is bland.  I found that pulverizing Tums and continually dabbing on my tongue does help a little but it's very brief.

Peas, mayo, sugar, eggs, cheddar is another staple that doesn't cause more burn.  

I'll be anxious to see what we will be allowed to bring Carole once there.  Her coming home this weekend saved me quite a bit of money so I hope to relax and shop online now that it is all settled.

We've been calling companies for so many things and no one is showing up.  I hope they have more book learning than the customer and cashier before us that took over ten minutes to count paper and coins.  Not for change, for payment.  So ticked off I almost told her I would count it and if she needed more I'd give it.  But Chris's grandson from Pittsburgh gets confused with money, nor can he write, or spell.  So .....

Wishing you all a peaceful evening.

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