Waiting on a Stroke?

My mother was taken into the emergency room today.  They've ruled out a heart attack and are now doing x-rays and CT scans to check for stroke due to the stroke symptoms.

My mother is being her normal ornery self - lying to the doctors about her symptoms (she doesn't like/trust doctors so she isn't claiming to have any symptoms), refusing to be put on medication (she doesn't like prescription medications), and is insisting somebody bring her a radio so she can listen to Rush Limbaugh (she doesn't like Obama obviously) - in the emergency room!

I asked my oldest sis to see about getting power of attorney in case my mother can't, or won't, make appropriate health care decisions for herself. My sis is looking into it. She used to have one (when my parents went thru divorce...my mom didn't want my dad making medical decisions for her in the middle of their nasty divorce) but it has expired.

I am in another state so I sit and wait for test results.  Waiting is the hardest thing. It feels pretty damn helpless to sit here and wait while my siblings rush to the hospital and hope that she doesn't have a large stroke at the hospital. From the way my mother is acting, and how worked up she gets over President Obama, it's a possibility.  I hope nobody brings her a radio so she can listen to Rush and get herself riled up.

One of my sisters said our mom seems to be doing better (symptoms improved) but my sister is doing a big OMG over her behavior in the hospital.  I am literally getting texts from my little sister with "omggggggggggg".

I sit.  I wait.  While I make a list in my head of things to pack and wonder what to do about my four kids - take them or leave them with a friend...ack.

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Pepsi Uses Aborted Fetal Remains

This is just gross:

Obama Agency Rules PepsiCo Cannibalizing Aborted Fetus is ‘Ordinary Business’

Pepsi has been my addiction for several years now.  Not anymore.  

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High Efficiency Pain In the Backside

Our front loader high efficiency washing machine is driving me UP THE WALL! I thought this was supposed to be the best technology, best wash, best new invention! Pfft!

It's the best way to get a sore back leaning over that far putting a load of laundry in and taking a load out.

It's an aggravating way to not be able to find the type of laundry detergent (look for the tiny "he" on the bottle) you need when others go on sale (so when I do find them on sale, I grab several HE detergents and stock up).

It's the best way to get so frustrated when it breaks and you don't know what to do with this piece if new technology.

Right now, my laundry is all coming out soaking wet - dripping water all over the place.  It's not going through that final fast spin cycle that spins all the water out of the clothes! Totally skips it.

A friend says to check the gasket. Gaskets? You mean that gross thing around the door that gets everything and its mother caught in it? OK, did that. Didn't help.

Check the drain to see if something is stuck in it.  OK, where's the drain?  I look inside the washing machine...don't see a drain.  Ohhhh, it's under it.  Well how the heck do I get to it?  I can't figure out how to get that bottom panel off. Can't check that yet until I figure that out.

Maybe the drum is broke?  Ohhhh, you mean the thingy that spins around inside.  I learned something new.  That "thingy" is a drum.  (I am obviously not Bob Vila...or even Tim "The Toolman" Taylor.)

My washing machine has been giving me sopping wet clothes for three weeks now because I can't figure this thing out, hubby is working all the time (and realistically, he's as bad as I am when it comes to fixing anything), and it's too expensive to call a repairman in right now. It takes three drying cycles to get everything dry.  Not so "high efficiency" now are ya?  

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