Daughter Is Coming

Daughter is flying in tomorrow and not a minute too soon. I am more than ready to see her. Bob is also looking forward to her visit.

This week has been an exercise in medication frustration. I do wish doctors paid closer attention to the drugs they're handing out. Bob had an appointment with a doctor last week that I thought was a very simple medication check-in. I thought he would be okay on his own for that appointment so I stayed down in the lobby. I really hate that I'm taking away some of his independence by going in with him to see the doctor. I should have gone with him. I've been sitting on a medication  dilemma  for almost a week now grumbling to myself, and trying to decide what to do. Finally, this morning my brain cleared and I took action.

This morning he had an appointment with the pulmonary specialist, also for a simple check-in. He's always done that one alone as well, and has always driven to that one. Earlier this week I had decided "No more driving for you Buster." I completely forgot until he was ready to walk out the door and there I sat still in my robe. He made it but I've got to see that doesn't happen again.

He asked the doctor for a handicap sticker but he told him no because he needed to be walking. I do hope Bob's not going to focus on that idea. I really do not want to deal with that at this time.

He's having blood pressure problems again. I discovered he never halved his medication like he was supposed to so we had to deal with that. I've halved his pills and am keeping a good log on his blood pressure here for a few days. May have to contact the cardiologist again but need documentation. I asked if he was feeling bad to which he replied he was feeling good. When I pressed him he said he was feeling good except for the times he couldn't see for about 20 seconds. That's when I decided no more driving for him.

He cleaned the stove top in preparation for daughter's visit but couldn't put it back together. That resulted in a maintenance call.

He's sitting on the patio some and calling out to dog owners walking their dogs. He loves Phoebe the Bouvier but she's just a pup, and gets excited when he talks to her. Yesterday the owner and I were trying to keep her from knocking Bob over when she turned and put her paws on me leaving mud all the way down the front of my clothes.

He's also made friends with a black pug. That would be a perfect dog for him. We had a fawn colored pug one time and it was a wonderful dog. My biggest objection is they shed something awful. I'm also not sure that's the breed I'd want for myself. I go back and forth on the dog issue. I'd love a dog but think it's probably not wise to get one. I think Bob would enjoy one but he also frets and worries over pets so I don't know. There's also the walking situation. Need a lot more thought on this subject. A cute mature rescue dog might be nice.

I have to be careful on the dog subject because I want a dog so bad I can hardly stand it.  Have to be sure that's not influencing the decision.

While daughter is visiting I probably will not be posting every day, but you never know.

Pets

Are you a pet lover? We are without a pet for the first time in 53 years of marriage.  It's about to kill me but Bob likes it that way. I've never let his opinion stop me in the past but now there are other issues to consider.

1) We are apartment dwellers these days. There's a $350 deposit plus $25 monthly fee for owning a pet.  That's enough to stop 'depression era' Bob's heart.

2) We are older, him 83, me 73.  Will we live as long as the pet?  Will we remain in good health and able to care for a pet?

3) Vet care these days is almost as expensive as people care.  Pet insurance is very inferior.

4) I want a dog but Bob and the kids say no.  My head understands that.  My heart does not.  Dogs require more care.  If I'm tied up in the medical world with Bob there's no one here to walk the dog. It rains a lot in Oregon and walking a dog in the rain can be tricky and is usually on the messy side. I have a great fear of falling on wet sidewalks.

5) We've mostly had cats and that's probably what we'll do if we ever get another pet.  Our son and his family are cat lovers and would help with care of a cat.  (They are not dog lovers.)

6) I've really enjoyed having a clean house, no spots on the carpet, no barfing up hairballs, no cat hair on my black pants and all over the furniture.  A cat would need to be 'inside only' and I'm having a hard time working up excitement over caring for a litter box.

7) I want a kitten one more time, but with an older cat you can see is what you're getting, kittens are an unknown.  Cats don't think a lot about pleasing humans.  Older cats can mean higher vet bills because like people healthcare increases as they age.

I've really worked my brain trying to think of a way to have a pet under these conditions and can't think of a thing.  Even looked into hedgehogs, now that is desperation.

How do you feel about pets at this stage of life?