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Back Road BearsLouise, Hayley, Sue Ann, Shelli and everyone...
Thank you!!:)
As an only child I sometimes feel like I carry the weight of the world but it's a comfort, although maybe selfish, to know I'm by no means the only one carrying such burdens as sick/dying parents. I just thank God for every day I have with them and that He gave me life so that I could be here for them. I also know I'm very human and get to feeling overloaded sometimes, no matter how hard I pray! But I keep putting one foot in front of the other... Thank you for your kind words and prayers!
Nanc - good for you in your diet habits and changes. I have cut waaay back on chocolate and feel so much better from doing so! I had chocolate for breakfast I was so addicted! (Hmm... not a smart thing for a diabetic!!) I also bought a ton of bottled water at the grocery store today.... while thinking of you! 
Our faucet water gives me a stomach ache! Hubby thinks it's great...ick! Speaking of hubby... he drinks flavored sparkling spring water (no sugar) instead of regular water.... says it quenches his thirst and settles his stomach which is always upset due to stress. I think he'd have less tummy problems if he didn't drink all those 'bubbles'!! Do you suppose sparkling water falls into the SODA category??
You Are What You Eat!!!
Jossan is right, you can be stressed by doing nothing if it gives you feelings of self-worthlessness etc. I sometimes feel that way as a bear artist, feeling like I should be out there, at 35 yrs. old, having a real career earning 'real' money as I call it. Being like the majority of the american population.
Hayley & Sue Ann, you and your families face many challenges with your hearing losses. Thankfully you've been able to hear in your life time and there are aids and implants to help in most tho' not all situations. Medicine has come a long way and new developments are always being made, new technology always being introduced. As long as doctors know what's wrong I hope they'll be able to provide the solutions you need when the time comes to 'give you back your hearing' so to speak.
Hugs to you all!
Daphne
Past Time BearsWell, as long as we're putting people on our lists to think about, I'll add my mom. She is in the last stages of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases and 87 years old. She is in her ninth year of Alzheimer's and has been in hospice care for 1 1/2 years. We thought we were going to lose her in January of this year . . . she was rushed to the emergency room with severe bleeding and the dr. told us she MIGHT live two more weeks. She is still here, however, and if nothing else is going on inside her head, she does have some sort of tenacious ability to keep living. Probably most of you have had some dealings with Alzheimer's . . . it is an ugly, cruel disease and I hope that my sister and I are not in line to have it next. My mom's two sisters died from complications of Alzheimer's, so I'm very worried. I will be crying on y'all's shoulders if there ever comes a day that I can't work the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper. That's my test as to whether my mind is still intact!! :lol:
Hayley, my mom is totally deaf in one ear and she wore a hearing aid in the other until about 5 years ago when it became unnecessary for her to hear.
Back Road BearsSue Ann,
My grandfather died of complications from Alzheimer's after living with it for 2 years. It seemed to be a fast progression for him. He was in a nursing home for only 3 weeks before he passed away. I'm sure as you said that many of us have some sort of experience with this disease. Keep doing those crosswords!!! They say using your mind actively is a great way to keep demensia & Alzheimers at bay a bit longer than those who don't so. I'll keep your mother in my prayers (and you too!!)
Hugs,
Daphne
Posts: 8,574Sue Ann
Did I tell you about the study done on nuns in Wisconsin? This was great- they were studying for Alzhiemer's and learned that the nuns who read, WORKED CROSSWORD PUZZELS, etc id not develope Alzheimers to the degree that the other sisters did../.
Yaaaayyyyy Sue Ann on the cutting edge in Psychology- keep it up!
Daphne and everyone else who has ill loved ones- You are my prayer list now.
In answer to the carbonated water, is it natural or induced, co2 added or carbonic acid....Anything with those things in it to create bubbles is suspect and moderation might be the watchword....but there are somne naturally carbonated waters that are more gentle and easier tolerated.
Alzheimers is truly an insidious disease...heartbreaking for the patient as they realize what is happening and so devastating to the families.
The nurse in me begs for stem cell research, because there is evidence that there is a way to alter the course of this disease.....
Laws can be made to protect the unborn from exploitation, while at the same time continuing research.
We eliminated polio-why not Juvinal diabetes, Alzheimers, MS, Lou Gehrigs etc.....
I pray the time will come when we have a healing
We are what we eat.....
Daphne, you aren't alone, we will always listen to you, and there are support groups available if you were interested.
I'm thinking they might even let you work on a bear or two....
Actually, I'm thinking with your bears they might want to buy a bear or two! :)
Too everyone here who is suffering in silence, and who has a loved one suffering, I am terribly sorrry and wish I could help. The only thing I can offer are my prayers, and unless someone is uncomfortable wioth that I will understand, otherwise I am praying for all of you from now on.
dilu
forgive the spelling.....you know what is coming back....time to go find medications.....
hugs
Past Time BearsOh gosh, Dilu . . . sorry the headache is back!! 
Take care of yourself . . . hopefully you will be back soon!
Posts: 1,153All of your posts are so interesting.
Sue Ann...my mother did cross word puzzles up until she passed away (from an ulcer no one knew she had)...but mom always said she did the puzzles to 'excercise her brain' and let me tell you at 85 she was as smart as a whip. She was always discussing politics, she could hold her own in any conversaton, very brilliant woman. I miss her so much it hurts.
Dilu, I am so sorry to hear your headache is coming back. Could you tell me where the pain is? Listen to me...your're the nurse but I am curious.
Daphne, IBS is such an awful thing to have. I had a friend who had it and learned quite a bit about it.
There are over 100 different disorders that are linked to the systemic effects of IBS. With all of the tests that have been done on your father, I am sure he has been checked for Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, lactose intolerance and ulcerative colitis.
Pain is often triggered by eating. The accumulation of the material in the digestive tract can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the colon....but because eating aggrevates it a person with IBS may dread eating and even if they do eat normally malnutrition may result because nutrients often are not absorbed properly.
His body requires about 30% more protein than normal as well as increased intake of minerals and trace elements...which of course can be depleted by diarrhea.
If he uses antibiotics, antiacids or laxatives, it will totally disrupt the bacterial microflora of the bowel and that is a contributing factor to IBS
. Lifestyle factors such as stress and diet can be common causes and I have read they are studying a link to virus and bacterium playing a leading role in IBS.
So many of his other problems can be directly related to IBS...as I said over 100 different disorders have been linked to IBS.
I didn't mean to ramble...but you just never know where something helpful will come from. My friend has hers almost completely gone, but it has taken a lot of work and figuring things out.
some people whith IBS have abnormalities in their levels of liver enzymes in their blood. I wonder if anyone checked him for that?
Ok, I am getting off my box now.
Like Dilu...I will keep you all in my prayers! and I mean that with all my heart.
Shelli is completely right...there is no dumping here...we are all here to help in anyway we can, even if that means just being a good listener.
Hugs to everyone,
Nanc.........
Dilu - I dont like any water! lol I have drank water from here and there in Sweden, and water (with-out bubbles) in bottle and.. I dont know. Dont like it at all.
I have tried to put cucumber in it, and when is ice cold its really nice and taste so fresh! But now when its warm.. Dont like water with lemon/oranges in it.
Someone told me you can put vanilla in water, but I dont know how! :'( hehe... but i drink milk instead.. I just Loooove milk! 
Back Road BearsNanc,
Thank you for all that info!!!
All of the symptoms you mentioned dad suffers from. Malnutrition is such a concern of mine. Not only does eating hurt, he has to be extra careful because many foods have nutrients that cause Kidney stones and his kidneys are making them constantly. He is now lactose intolerant.
I know he's been tested for the diesases you mentioned and others as well. All with negative results.
But there maybe something else in all you mentioned that hasn't been thought of or retested in the past year (he repeats all the test annually just in case...) so I'm going to send your post along to my mom... she's the researcher.
I'm glad your friend is recovering from her IBS.
Nancy, thank you for your time, prayers and sharing your knowledge!
Hugs,
Daphne
Posts: 8,574Jossan: cucumbers....I never thought of that-but they are gentle and refreshing and do wonders for under our eyes. :D
Hmmmmm I will have to slice some up and try in ice water
I do lime and or lemon for water sometimes.
I didn't use to like water until I had the infamous, wish-I-could-have-lived-without-it surgery. Then I fell in love with water....now I do at least two quarts a day-more in hot weather :)
The major problem with any type bowel disease, besides insidious malnutrition, is that our society tends not to understand and the victim/patient has inherent embarrassment because of the frequency, the odor, the sudden onset of diarrhea- (my particular favorite) And it tends to cause the poor patient to start withdrawing from life.
a healthy dose of malnutrition can also cause that.
I think that Daphne's dad is super super lucky that he has Daphne as a kid, because she is going to fight for him when he doesn't have the energy or ability to fight for himself. Thank God.
Daphne there is something called Parenteral feeding. Basically it is a solution of the nutrients needed that is given through an IV or a
pic-line. It might be something to talk to the docs about.
I am still amazed each day that I read these posts at how compassionate you all are. What a wonderful place !
I can feel the sadness that some of you express watching those you love suffering.
That must be awful to be unable to help. I pray that these people will get relief soon.
Dilu, I wish I could make your headache go away forever.
Daphne, I'll be praying for you, your mom and your dad. As I mentioned before, I lost my dad almost 2 years ago to a massive heart attack at a wedding. He was only 61 and it is hard watching my mom be so lonely. Some days it is stressful to be all things to all people, but as someone here said women tend to be like that. We want to make everything better.
Sue Ann, I'm sorry to hear about your mom. My husband's grandmother died 3 years ago from Alzheimers and now his grandfather is in the early stage where he gets confused and knows something is wrong. That is so sad. He said the other day that he feels like he is going wacky. I almost cried.
Shelli too , I know you are still very sad about losing your cat. Mine was hit by a car last fall and after surgery and 5 days in the animal hospital she came home. She took a long time to recover, but I was so thankful she made it. I slept on the kitchen floor with her for 3 nights as she was so drugged and couldn't walk. They are just like kids aren't they.
Anyone else here that is need of a hug I am sending one to you too. Thankfully we can all find some stress relief in bearmaking.
Posts: 8,574There is a silver lining that we haven't brought up....so speaking for myself;
I think most of you know I adored my dad- I was adopted at about 6-7 years old and he treated me like I was his own....I truly believe he forgot where I came from-(the cabbage patch) He taught by example and did not have a cruel bone in his body
Never hear me say anything about my adopted mom.....hmmmmmmwell she was the exact opposite of my dad. nuff said. No not quite- she did teach me to sew- and that has been with me my whole life. Thanks mom.
It has been about 5 years and I don't cry as much when I think of my dad....instead I am remembering the wonderful things he did- and the things he told me.....(Hey daddy- I still cant stand artichokes!)
I have had cats all my life. The same year dad died my very favorite cat of my whole life died. We got to talking about him tonight at dinner, and I remembered how funny he was, and the games we played. He was a truly wonderful happy thinking loving little guy. I was lucky to have known him.
Yes- I had wretched surgery-3 times in 2 years.....and yes relearning how to live with this body has been trying, and yes, I exchanged one set of medical problems for another set. And since the new set isn't life threatening it was sort of a win win. Right? :)
So- I have been incredably blessed by my faith, my father, my cats, my honey, by being able to live and experience all the wonderful things life has to offer.
And there are so many:
you guys
music
sewing
art
love
living in a place I love, surrounded by the pine trees I love
having seen enough of the world to have a better understanding of other cultures and not be too ethnocentric
being able to LIVE
being able to LOVE
Gollygoshdarngeewillikins
But ain't it great to be alive and be doing things we love doing and that not only make us happy but also make others happy?
I may have health problems but I can truly tell you that life has never been sweeter.
I hope and pray that all of you can feel the same way about your lives. Then it will all have been worth it and life will have been a well lived..
Huggies and Gollylove to one and all
Dilu
Past Time BearsOh goodness, Diane . . . you are one of the best models for being optimistic! Thank you for your inspiring posts!!
Just Us Bears
Sue Ann,
Adding your precious mum to my prayer list too. Hubby's grandma suffered from Alzheimer's for many years and it was so heartbreaking. It's such a strange thing, because at 87, she could remember things from when she was a small girl and yet couldn't remember her husband (who was still living with her and became known as "that strange man!").
We have also had close dealings with Parkinsons too, having lost my Mother-in-law to it just six years ago. Tragic disease.
On a postitive note, we are gearing up for my adorable nanna's 90th birthday this month and our family is in celebration mode. She is such an inspiration to us all and still leads a very active life. She does China Painting, gardening, and is very involved with her Church. I've been putting together a slideshow presentation on my computer to be shown on the night...it's kinda a "This is your life" type of thing and I have really enjoyed getting all the photos together.
Shelli, after seeing that lovely scrapbooked shot of your boys, I'm thinking I'd like to do something similar to some of the photos just to add something a bit different. Do you mind if I ask where you get the overlays from??
Here is a pic of my nan and my mum.
Hayley, I don't mind at all, but I can't really give you any help because in this particular case I made the layout myself with the exception of the snowflake, and I can't remember where I got that. Those little things -- snowflakes, pictures of flowers, ribbons, etc. -- are called "elements."
Google "digital scrapbooking" and you will get what I got; ten thousand reference points. One of the biggest and best is ScrapbookBytes; you can even get free downloads of papers, elements, overlays, and type/text/fonts there inside a subheading of their Forum. Find the Forum here: http://www.scrapbook-bytes.com/chat/index.php You'll need to create a quick profile (username, password) to access the DOWNLOADS, which can be found in the GALLERY. There's lots to see; it's worth it for some "freebies," as these digital free elements are often called.
Other easy ways to find elements and papers and ideas include going to big listings and visiting websites from there.
Here, a few URL's to get you started on your search:
SITES:
http://www.scrapbook-bytes.com/index.php?categoryid=1
http://www.scrapbookgraphics.com/downloads.htm
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/
LISTS:
http://www.scrapbookingtop50.com.au/digitaltopsites/
PHOTOSHOP TUTORIALS:
http://myjanee.home.insightbb.com/tutorials.htm
http://www.scrapbook-elements.com/tutorials/
http://www.photofoolery.com/tutorials_all.php
Just Us BearsShelli...have I told you lately that I love you! You are my new best friend...thankyou!!!!:D
Now I just need a whole day free...bummer, have to work tomorrow.:mad:
Seriously, I am forever grateful.;)
I love you, too. Kissy, kissy
Past Time BearsHayley . . . now I know where you get your good looks!! Your mom and gramma are very pretty ladies! I visited my mom today and she hugged my hand!! That's good for her . . . she usually doesn't acknowledge me at all.
That's very sweet, Sue Ann. I think watching someone deteriorate must take such bravery and so much unconditional love. I was thinking of this when I watched my silly cat, who I loved, grow more gravely ill with each passing day; wondering, "How do people tolerate the loss and the mourning and the slow process of illness, when they have to watch it every single day, for years, in a person they love maybe more than themselves?" I'm just totally in awe of you, all of you, who steadfastly stand beside loved ones as they move on to something, and somewhere, else.
I'm really glad you had a great day with your mom, Sue Ann. 
Past Time BearsWell, you know . . . maybe that happened because you lovely ladies put her on your list!! Thank you!
Oh my goodness Girls.... I had not visited this thread till today cause I'm trying to cut back on computer time and I almost started crying! NOT what I expected from a thread called "Dilu... have you tried water?"!
If I miss anyone, please forgive me!
Hayley, I'm so sorry about your mum's headaches (and Dilu... YOURS too of course!)
Sue Ann, I never would have known you had a hearing disability when I met you! I'm sorry hon! And I'm so very sorry about your mom
Hayley, I"m sorry about your mum! What a drastic change she has gone thru! I'm glad she and your dad are working together so well.
Daphne, I'm so sorry too about your dad There's still so much that "we" don't know. My ex-sisterinlaw has a similar - yet different problem...the docs for 40 years can't figure out what is wrong. And your mom! I'm sending good thoughts her way too....
Jane,... AWESOME for you Girl! I admire you very much for getting off Diet Coke! I am truly addicted myself also... partly because I can't eat sugar... so it's one of the few sweet things I do have. After reading this post I will TRULY try to get myself OFF if it! (Last time I tried I was such a grouch my family did not want to be around me... it's like trying to stop smoking.. I'd think... I've never smoked)
Sue Ann... again I'm so sorry about your mom! My grandma has been having many small strokes and also has Alzheimer's. It wasn't too bad until her last stroke about a month ago. She's far away now (in Florida) but one of my aunts is with her. I understand your fears about "being in line for it next".... cause that is something I have also started worrying about... both for me and my Mom! I'm not very close to my grandma - but I AM close to my MOM! I think I'll have to start doing crossword puzzles... and send some to my Mom....
As for the bit on scrapbooking... I've been "saving" that thread to read... and will have to "save" it a bit more as I need to get my walking done...
Love you all!
Back Road BearsLaura,
You are being so well disciplined!!! You go girl!!!
Thanks for taking the time to read & respond to all of us.
I appreciate it tons!
Hugs,
Daphne
xo
Me too!
Past Time BearsAnd I do, too, Laura!
Country BearsIt takes a thread like this to let us know that we really don't know everything about everyone we chat to - and yet we probably 'meet' more here than what we do our 'nearest and dearest'. I just wanted you all to know my prayers are with you all.
Posts: 8,574"God bless us Everyone!"
