My Journey Towards Better Health

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maggiedemi

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She should stop taking them. Being stopped up causes back and stomach pain. Not to mention very uncomfortable. Normal emptying of the plumbing should be at minumum once every 24 to 48 hours
How do I make her listen though? You know how stubborn she is. I suppose I could just throw the capsules away and see if she feels better in the week it takes her to order more.

how many weeks has it been since your surgery?
My surgery was August 27th.

Does Rockhead get mad if you ask him for help with lifting/vacuuming?
No, but remember he got injured by Demi on his wrist/arm. I don't know if he can vacuum yet, but maybe.
 
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maggiedemi

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sending you with all the love, warmest of hugs and positivity.
Thank you so much! :redheartpump:

maybe you and rockhead can take a stroll on those trails you know who talked about a year ago
I'm terrified of the coyotes and coydogs on those trails though. I'm sure there are bears in there too. It's the state forest. But the coyotes could probably easily get me walking down the road too. They don't cull them anymore, so there are so many now. I am really a city girl stuck in the country. :bawling:
 

Lari

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It depends on the vacuum - I'm pretty sure my little dyson weighs less than 10lbs, but I wouldn't do it yet, either.

I make soup in like a half hour from scratch. Your mom is just making excuses.
 

rubysmama

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Yes, you are definitely a SURVIVOR! :worship::worship:
Remember that. Never give up. You a on your way to a healthy, happy life.
:yeah:

BTW, "Never give up" made me think of a 80's song, that I'm going to post in our music thread for you, M maggiedemi . I'll come back here and post again with the direct link, once it's there.

Meanwhile, any guesses as to the song I'm thinking of? :musicnote:

She said that it will take 2 hours to make a soup and that is way too much activity for me.
Two hours, maybe, if you have a lot of prep work. But most veggie soups cook in about 30 to 40 minutes. And you don't have to stand over the stove watching it cook!

I, as a vegetarian, don't make any with meat, but here's a chicken and rice vegetable soup you might like, that seems pretty easy.

Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Soup

And a veggie one:
Quick Italian Vegetable Soup Recipe

And a Minestrone:
Jamie's Minestrone Recipe

Keep in mind, you can mix up the vegetables to your own liking/tastes. And check out the reviews. Sometimes there's good suggestions in them.

We can't only eat processed foods, that is not healthy.
No. Definitely not healthy. :(

My mom informed me that she is NEVER vacuuming again because she's too old. Does this sound like Dementia?
Hmmm... Dementia is so hard to recognize. Especially at first. It's later when you look back and realize the signs were there much earlier than you realized.

Has your mom had any blood work done lately? If not, and if you can get her to go, she should get her B-12 checked. A B-12 deficiency can cause confusion and dementia like symptoms. And with all the over-the-counter supplements she is "prescribing" to herself, she could be having a B-12 absorbency issue since B-12 is absorbed via the small intestine.

How to Avoid Harm from Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Seniors

Now, I just have to ask ... why is your dad nicknamed "Rockhead"? ;)
 
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maggiedemi

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But most veggie soups cook in about 30 to 40 minutes. And you don't have to stand over the stove watching it cook!
Thanks for the soup recipes. :redheartpump:

she should get her B-12 checked. A B-12 deficiency can cause confusion and dementia like symptoms.
I just asked her if she had her B-12 checked and she said she couldn't remember. So that's something to look at, thank you. :)

Now, I just have to ask ... why is your dad nicknamed "Rockhead"?
Dad is called Rockhead because he always does things the exact same way every time, but expects a different outcome. It's also because he makes rock hard homemade bread and refuses to listen to any tips from anyone. He just keeps making the bread the exact same way, hoping it will improve, but it's always hard as a brick! :lol:

Now that I've posted it, I realize "never give up" isn't actually in the lyrics.
Never Surrender is the same thing. I got it. Thanks for the song. :hugs:
 

LTS3

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You can make soup and stews in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, too. Some meat centered stews may require browning the meat first but that doesn't take long. If a recipe calls for cooked chicken, you can use a store bought rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken yourself. It's a short cut method:) I think Perdue still makes those Short Cuts packaged cooked chicken strips too. Find them in the meat case section usually near the hams.
 
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tarasgirl06

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Soups are easy to make. Some take a couple of hours, but others are quicker. When you're ready, I can tell you about a couple that I make. Once you get the vegetables all cleaned and chopped, it's just a matter of letting everything cook, and adding spices here and there. If you make a big pot of it, you have meals for about a week or so -- I just add a green salad, bread, and some fresh fruit for dessert.
I got my vacuum on the dirtdevil.com website. IDK how much it weighs but it's a great cleaner with a HEPA filter and I got it for $60. It's a refurb. I had to put it together, but it wasn't difficult. After my surgery, the doctor wouldn't let me work for a few weeks and I don't like a dirty house! Ex #2 came over once and vacuumed around the furniture. It wasn't fantastic but it was better than nothing. I vacuum once a week, moving furniture. I don't have anything really heavy to move, but it's definitely not something you can do now!
Not sure how your mom is thinking about this, but living in an environment that isn't cleaned regularly is asking for possible trouble. I'm not sure what is going on with her, but if she is not able to do it, maybe your brother(s) could talk with your folks about getting a cleaner in once every week or two? A lot of people use them around here. My mom did when she got sick. The cleaners don't do as good a job as you yourself would, but again, it's better than nothing. The good ones are bonded.
Laughing about your dad making the bread! That must be a treasured family recipe:crackup: Glad you had a nice time with him.
And on the subject of, ah, poop, our bodies self-regulate and when we are in good health, there is no need to take any kind of supplements as everything goes, uh, smoothly. Right now you need to follow the instructions of your doctor/care team, and hopefully you will be restored to good health quickly and not have to take these things. They are only for temporary use. When we eat a good diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and whatever source of protein we choose in moderation, our digestive systems should be in good working order.
:vibes::vibes::vibes::cheerleader::hangin:
 
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maggiedemi

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slow cooker
We have a crockpot and a pressure cooker. We have a lot of things just collecting dust that she never uses.

Not sure how your mom is thinking about this, but living in an environment that isn't cleaned regularly is asking for possible trouble. I'm not sure what is going on with her,
I'm not sure what is going on with her either. It seems if she can push a cart all day at the grocery store, she could push a vacuum cleaner. My dad can probably do it with his opposite arm, the one that wasn't injured. But he has been driving, doing yard work, feeding the cats and scooping the litterboxes, so his arm/wrist must be improving.

Laughing about your dad making the bread! That must be a treasured family recipe:crackup:
Yeah, he doesn't mind his nickname Rockhead. He laughs about it. But he still doesn't take any advice from anyone. :lol:
 

Talien

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Do you think a vacuum weighs 10 pounds? I want to vacuum, but I can't lift anything over 10 pounds because of my surgery. My mom informed me that she is NEVER vacuuming again because she's too old. Does this sound like Dementia? How do you own a house but never vacuum it? It makes no sense. She can go shopping all day, but not vacuum? :headscratch:
It depends on the vaccuum. Some are very light, some are monstrosities that weigh 25 LB like the one my parents had, then gave to me because my mom couldn't handle it anymore.

Either way you should not be doing any cleaning or anything that requires any kind of strain for the next several weeks.

How do I make her listen though? You know how stubborn she is. I suppose I could just throw the capsules away and see if she feels better in the week it takes her to order more.
If you can find something that looks like them that's beneficial, like a multivitamin, you could replace them. Not an idea long term solution because she'll probably find out eventually, but maybe by then she'll realize they were a problem and not a solution.
 

Willowy

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We have a crockpot and a pressure cooker.
Ooh, is it an electric pressure cooker? If so, that's an Instant Pot (even if not Instant Pot brand), and if you look up Instant Pot recipes you can find all kinds of awesome things to make, and it's so fast and easy. If you want to make soup the Instant Pot will make the process a lot faster.

What kind of stool hardeners does your mom take? Something like Imodium? If so, maybe print out the list of side effects and leave it somewhere for her.
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Dry mouth
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Fatigue
  • Stomach pain, discomfort, or enlargement
Imodium (Loperamide) - Side Effects, Dosage, Interactions - Drugs
 

kittyluv387

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Hmm you probably shouldn't make soups from scratch yet. It's 2 hours if you boil a whole chicken and stuff. But it would definitely be a lot quicker if you bought some chicken broth from the store. Which would still be so much healthier than processed foods for sure.
 

Jcatbird

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Crockpots are great. You put the ingredients in a it can cook for you! It’s great for soups and stews. Get that out and hook it up. Just keep an eye on it to make sure you keep water or broth in it since fluids can cook down.
Keep walking. That’s your path to regaining strength. Even if you just walk the same route repeatedly. Not only is it good exercise, you get vitamin D from the sunshine! Mother Nature gives us wonderful things. :yess:
 
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maggiedemi

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Ooh, is it an electric pressure cooker?
Yes, it's electric. The brand is Fagor. It has several cool sounding buttons on the front.

What kind of stool hardeners does your mom take?
Activated Charcoal Capsules. It made my stool so hard and black that my doctor thought I had a cancerous mass and was going to operate, until I told him she was slipping me these pills. Here's the link to them. It even has a warning on them not to use after gastrointestinal blockage. She had no business giving them to me.

https://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-activated-charcoal-260-mg-90-capsules

Warnings:
It is not intended for long-term use. Activated charcoal may interact with or reduce the effectiveness of certain medications, such as birth control, drugs for blood pressure and syrup of ipecac. Pregnant or lactating women, those with diabetes, hypoglycemics and people with known medical conditions (including gastrointestinal blockage) and/or taking drugs should consult with a licensed physician and/or pharmacist prior to taking this supplement. May temporarily darken the stool.
 

Willowy

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Ooh yeah I have heard great things about the instant pot! Can you still scoop out scum that would normally float using those? And how do you deal with veggies so they don’t get too soggy? Or is that not a problem?
I don't know too much; I've only just gotten started using my pressure cooker after ignoring the poor thing for too long, lol. But there are a lot of very dedicated Instant Pot recipe-makers out there, who have experimented with every possible outcome, so generally if you follow the recipes it turns out pretty good.
 
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