Hi Everyone, it’s been a long time since I have written anything for this site but now the time has come when I just must because I cannot handle the current events without having somewhere to vent. I have a hard time doing it on facebook as I have many on my list who are either on the other side or who are ambivalent including in my own family..
So here I am again to connect with you folks and share the sadness and sometimes outright horror with this new world we have entered. I think many people have their eyes shut as to what the future ramifications are. I fear for my children and grandchildren what kind of world we will be leaving to them.
I have another thing to discuss also. Our friend and my very close friend for years Shirlstars has dementia and at this point she still knows me but nothing about me. That is despite over 12 years of daily comunication with her.
It is sad and hard for me to accept. I really am unsure of what to do as far as continuing any sortof relationship. She is living in Oklahoma with or rather sort of under the care of a very nice woman but she is at the point where she is being rebellious and cannot handle money anymore while her caretaker has been trying to protect her as she has power of attorney and tries to limit the cash she gets as she loses it, etc.
So I’ve done it, I’ve written again and I would love to hear from any old friends or make new ones.
Hugs
Hi diane101 (((hugs))) … who else?
Old times have come and gone … the community will never again be what it was …. so sad!
○ Shirlstars @BooMan’s pond
Not nostalgia, but a world changing due to war, violence and people not caring for one another. The individual more important than to comfort one’s brother/sister … lack of basic love.
Hi Oui, I am so glad to see your words here today, many memories we have shared on this site. Yes the world is changing and not for the better I fear. I have been distraught for several years but not more so since the election. Then the past weekend was one of deep sorrow especially as I think f my Iraqui friend Dena, who would not be able to come here now.
Talking to her this weekend she would not have wanted to come if she would have known what would happen here.
I am going to try to be more active here since I just need a place to mourne and a place to be lifted up in many ways.
I’m still around. I’d remember that handle anywhere. Sorry to hear about Shirl. I remember at one point she occasional contributed to ECFS back when it was active (I now use that as my personal blog). I’ve had the joy of being hippie-punched for much of my blogging life to becoming a neoliberal sellout in one simple election cycle. Long story. When a despot says what he intends to do, it is a good idea to listen to him and believe him. Despots act on their threats if given power. It was obvious during the primaries and even more so during the general election. But hey, emails, Bengazi, something something neoliberalism. So now we have a monster doing monstrous things, and a significant subset of our fellow citizens cheering him on. There are days recently where I have asked myself what Hypatia might have been thinking during her last years as a scholar in the Library of Alexandria. How apprehensive might she have been about a society that was crumbling all around her? How does one continue to work under such conditions? In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve grown older and crankier.
Hi Don, yes I do agree with you. The whole election cycle has been shameful, not to mention the years with Obama obstruction.
So now we have him and we’ve got to get him out. My children say I should stop listening to news and so on, but I cannot completely because of the dire future I see unfolding.
I was thinking last night I was in my early 60’s when I first started here and now I am 73. I am very owrried about edicare and medicade because I am on very expensive medications just to stay alive. Was diagnosed with Crohns several years ago and am on Humira, very costly but I would not be here f not for that, plus I have heart and lung problems as well. Meds for a years are $25,000.
I’m married to someone who is permanently disabled. After last year’s broken hip and mild stroke following surgery, I am now the sole income earner. We realized how much of a day and night difference there was between our medical bills this go around and the last time that we had to deal with a major joint surgery. Pre-ACA, we may well have blown through our lifetime coverage cap and I’d be looking at foreclosure, repos, and bankruptcy. We went through a medical bankruptcy last decade and it was simply awful. Instead, aside from minor grumbling about some bills, we’re going to be okay financially. We’re thankful, especially since there will now be regular visits to various specialists, additional prescription drugs, and so on that we will be dealing with for a lifetime. If the White House and Congress pull the rug from under us, we’re indeed in some serious trouble.
There are plenty of reasons why I was willing to oppose Trump at all costs – including what I thought were some “friendships” here. Our lives and livelihood were at the top of the list.
Fear is to make you act, so do what you can and then be unafraid. I think we’re all pretty off our butts at this point so fear isn’t much needed.
If your friend is far enough into dementia keep the relationship insofar as it’s good for you. You can’t do much for her at this point unless the caretaker needs help or watching, because if you see her by the next day it’s like it never happened. My grandmother died with very severe dementia and I realized that after a while – it didn’t make any difference to her whether I visited or not.
Hang in the with Hair Furor and hugs for dealing with your friend.
Hi, Curtadams, thank you for writing. As to my friend we live in different states so there is not much I can help with but I’ve been trying to help her caretaker with some knowledge I have of Shirl.
Good to have you back at the pond. My political energies are pretty badly depleted since the November debacle and I’m trying to rebuild emotionally for the next fight. So sad about Shirl. We went through it with my dad for 5 years. Its such a helpless feeling when no amount of loving care seems to make any difference. Peace.
Hi Indianadem, I know what you mean about energies and the active things I will have to leave to those younger and stronger but I will be their cheerlearder and do what I can. This presidency cannot possibly hold for long but then I though that about Bush. I would now gladly take him over Trump as I think he actually had some sort of brain, while Trump is a heaping pile of malignant narcissism.
I have to get used to writing on this site again, my typing has been limited to mostly iphone and kindle lately.
On the good side I did write a book since I was last on here but my laziness has kept me from editing and polishing. Maybe writing on here will get me in the writing mode again.
It is very difficult to go through the profound relationship changes which come from caring for people with dementia. My grandmother and mother went through it and were completely disabled and bed-bound by the end. I feel for you enormously, and having to go through these experiences at the beginning of the Trump Administration is doubly traumatizing.
Best to you, diane101. Stick around. We’ll do our best to inform each other, form effective fightback plans together, take pleasure in our wins and give solace after our losses.
Thank you for that thoughtful comment. I think I am going to stick around, I already have several diaries in my mind that have been simmering. I’m going through a chest cold right now but as I get better I definitely am going to participate here. I wish I could get some of the old bloggers back, and maybe I’ll work on that. I do feel we need to stick together and help those on the front lines of this battle which is going to be far worse than the Bush one which drew me into Booman in the first place.
Till later
Hi Diane, Good to see you here. I too have worried about the world my son will inherit. He is 18 and doesn’t seem too worried yet. I’m sorry to hear about Shirlstars. It must be very difficult.
Our former comrade supersoling passed a couple of years ago. The old crowd is thinning out.
Hi boran, good to see you here. Yes I knew about supersoling and also scribe and Brenda Stewart have also passed away.
I have new babies and young grandchildren in my family that I fear for their future.
More words tomorrow.