Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Summer Learning... Having A Blast

So, I decided to register for a YouTube creator boot camp, and that's what I've been doing since Monday.  It's fun! Here's a short video on set designing.  Let me know what you think.


Sunday, June 14, 2015

Lights! Camera! Action!

Sorta, anyway.  I recently registered to participate in a YouTube Production Skills boot camp event, and it begins tomorrow.  So, I've been brainstorming... or more like brain-using... working on This Is Fifty With Lil YouTube channel set design for future vlog episodes.

School's out for Summer.  School's out forever... at our house, anyway.  So when I read a recent blog post suggesting that we purposefully commit 30 minutes of each day to learning something new over the Summer I went all in.

YouTube boot camp will be my assignment for two weeks.  I'm excited and looking forward to learning how to improve my channel content.

Let's see how this goes...  Lights! Camera! ACTION!*

So without further ado...


* Lighting will be so-so for a while; camera, it's just one of those point-and-shoot ones; and as for the action, I'll try my best.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Happiness From My Fridge

While I sat at my computer just now, hoping to think up something to write about tonight, I remembered there are delicious leftovers in the fridge. So, if you will excuse me, this blog post is getting put on the back-burner so that I can get up to heat up some rice, beans, and shredded meat to make myself a burrito. Yay, me!

Monday, June 8, 2015

Rock... Hard Place...

Dammit, rock... hard place... CUT ME SOME SLACK ALL READY. Today's dilemma:  One vehicle + brake problems + cost for parts + cheap mechanic w/ no prior experience in auto repair + one hands-off, disagreeable, husband = YOU DO NOT WISH TO SWITCH PLACES WITH ME TODAY.  Or, pretty much, any day, really.

Made the call and asked my sister for phone number of reliable mechanic... her step-daughter who just became certified in auto repair in Spring.  She's on her way over and should be here within 15 minutes.  *whew*


Saturday, June 6, 2015

Early Start

Sunday mornings mean getting up early to arrive at mom's apartment as close to 7:00 am as possible. As her prescription medication manager, my job is to keep her health in check by making sure she's receiving optimal results from meds.  Her last lab results, and subsequent bone scan, indicated osteoporosis - when bones become weak and brittle.

Osteoporosis is just one of those conditions that an elderly person must have treated to relieve pain and weakness.  In mom's case, emergency room visits for sudden severe flu like symptoms, fever, shakiness and pain, did not offer any clues. A fracture from a fall would have been one way osteoporosis would have been clearly diagnosed, but we've been lucky mom hasn't taken a bad fall.

Sorting out what was causing mom discomfort hasn't been easy.  A problem we have is poor communication, or more aptly, comprehension.  Mom leaves out important details that would be helpful to my sister and me during the times that she needs medical attention, emergency or otherwise.  It's until late night that she thinks is when she has no option but to call one of us to let us know she isn't feeling well, even though onset of symptoms occur hours, or even days, earlier. There is also the serious issue with mom not recognizing the importance of self-care and need to follow doctor's advice. Throw in her thinking she can treat whatever symptoms and ailments on her own, first, with a good ol' home remedy, and dear lord, wish us all luck.

So, this is how it's been for me with mom since returning to California.  A process... and not an easy one.  We've arrived at a point where we must be physically present to make sure she takes the majority of daily prescribed medications.  She's on her own with AM meds that must be taken on an empty stomach, and again at night, when we know we can trust her to take her bedtime meds, because she obsesses about needing to take her anxiety pill.  This all leaves me to arrive in time to dispense morning mealtime meds, then return to dole out lunchtime meds, and finally, either my sister or I will drive over to mom's place give her dinnertime meds and leave bedtime and AM doses... Every. Day. Of. The. Week.

Which leads us to Saturday night, when I usually stay up past midnight. Tonight I'm tired; it's been a tough day.  I'm more than ready to hit the sack, but I still have pans from dinner to scrub.  It's also been the first full week in trial run of this new protocol for managing mom's care.  I also do majority of monthly grocery shopping for mom first week each month, so that's another thing on my must-do list. But, back to osteoporosis.  Mom has begun treatment for it, so last Sunday was her first time taking new meds.  Which for me, means an early start.

Good night.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Done!

It is always a good week when it ends like this...

Chapter Closes
Image by L. Carilo, June 2015