THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

moneyistooshorttomention

pineapple wrote: »

Ready meals do have their uses and you don't even have to consume them!
Sometimes the ingredients give me ideas for cooking as in 'Gosh that's interesting. I could do that!' :j
I once took a look at Sainsbobs 'Crispy Seaweed' and found, in the small print, that it is actually fried spring greens and 5 spice seasoning. Yes that's right ladies and gents. Their 'seaweed' is basically cabbage .
But what a lovely combo imo. I wouldn't have thought of it myself.

That might actually be an idea there:T

Hmmm...don't think I'm going to derive much inspiration in supermarkets round here and nearest Waitrose is apparently Cardiff:(:(. But they are building a Marks & Spencer currently in Aberystwyth (should be ready in just a few weeks time) - and it looks "normal size" to me:D judging from peering hopefully at the structure the other day. It'll probably have a food hall I guess:D. Looks like the Tesco they are building next door might be "normal size" to me too - so might have their full range. Aber is the nearest noticeable size shopping destination to me - still one heck of a trek compared to the few minutes walk I'm used to - but I am likely to do a twice yearly trek there for clothes-buying purposes (if it's going to be the size I think it is) and shall have a peer in their food hall whilst there.

Goes off to google to see whether they have Monsoon and Accessorize in Aberystwyth.....

VJsmum

Doveling wrote: »

It's not just the "snowflake generation" that thinks this way.

If I put forward various scenarios to my mother, I am informed that "they" would never let that happen!
She can't tell me who the mysterious "they" are :rotfl:

DforV -I buy Yankee candles when they have a sale for Christmas presents.
And I have quite a bit of stuff round the house "just by chance";)

MrD has accepted the fact that I am a [STRIKE]pessimist[/STRIKE] one step ahead and let's me get on with it.:D

My MiL is the same, at 84 she expects that 'they' will look after her.

Hmm, I was in Aberystwyth in the summer and everything was 'mini' versions of the type that are in the big cities. So i wouldn't count on it.

There is a nice wholefood shop and cafe though.

milasavesmoney

Cleaned out the storage closet and found I have plenty of thin spaghetti noodles.... 27 packages!
Lesson learned is to keep things in the same place so you know how much you have bought.

thriftwizard

No prepping whatsoever going on here, mainly because we don't have a clue what's going on with my mother! She seems much better in herself, but still can't walk; there's no strength whatsoever in her legs. But what we're finding really difficult is the mixed messages we're getting from the hospital staff; I spoke to a nurse on Friday who told me they were preparing her for discharge today, with "an appropriate package of care" - which, frankly, sent me into total panic mode as there is no earthly way an old lady of 90 who (suddenly) cannot walk, can cope at home with carers popping in for 10 minutes twice a day and a physio visiting once a week if they remember, which they didn't, last time. But my brother spoke to a different nurse on Saturday who reassured him that no way were they going to send her home when they hadn't a clue what's actually wrong with her, she lives on her own and is bed-bound. Hard to know quite what to believe... another brother was told, in the middle of last week, when he rang to enquire about visiting out of hours as it was the only time he could make the 200-mile round trip, that he could take her home now as she didn't seem to have an infection!

Have others encountered these horrible confusing mixed messages? The worst example was when my stepfather was quite obviously extremely ill, and they were told by one doctor that there was nothing further they could do except palliative care. A week later, another doctor literally yelled at my mother that there was nothing whatsoever wrong with him, and if she'd just stop mollycoddling him he'd be fine. It turned out that the diagnosis (mesothelioma, which was quite correct) hadn't been recorded in writing, just passed on by phone to the first doctor, who hadn't put it on his notes. My poor mother didn't know which of them to believe... imagine the stress she was under.

Now it's my turn! If they really do kick her out, I will have to drop everything to go & look after her. That would not be begrudged, in any way, shape or form, I hasten to add; it's a minor inconvenience compared to what she did for us when my father died leaving her £27 in the bank and nothing else. But my little business is already suffering from my continued absences and inability to concentrate, my home's a tip, my stocks are running down, my apples are rotting, my blackberries going to mould in the hedge, my family are suffering and my nerves are beginning to shred. Not so much SHTF, more a continuous drip of brown stuff!

Mila, I'd kill for those noodles... will have to ask an offspring to pick some up on their way home from work!

pineapple

Up all night with elderly dog with laboured breathing. Phoned emergency vet at 5am and the moment I got through she flopped down and went to sleep! :mad: Off to vets later to check out heart and lungs (we do know she has long term lung issues).
I know she won't be with me much longer but want her to be comfortable in the meantime. Will ask if they will let me administer furosemide injection at home if there is another emergency or at least have a sedative. Will also look at emergency care books on Amazon. Note to self - we need to prep for our pets too!

Bathory

I am a lurker on this thread but didn't want to read and run.

Thriftwizard, I am sorry for what you are going through. It is very stressful and mixed messages off different staff just don't help. Been through this in the past and its enough to feel your head is going to explode plus I feel they never tell you everything.

The doctor who looks after your mum surely should be the one who makes the decision whether to discharge or not. Does she want to live back at her home?

My late mum once had 2 weeks in hospital with chest problems and they discharged her as soon as because they don't like keeping people in. (I got told by one nurse that secondary infections were more of a risk the longer they kept her in). Unable to cope back at home despite 4 daily visits from carers, her social worker recommended a temporary respite break at a care home where she decided to stay permanently. It turned out to be a very good place but was something I always worried and felt guilty about. The first time she caught pneumonia she also never walked again and the doctors had no idea why.

If your mum lives with you then it will be a weight off your mind as she won't be alone. I hope you manage to sort things out soon.

Bathory

Pineapple, sorry to hear about your dog, hope she is ok and good luck with the vets today.

maryb

Thriftwizard, thinking of you

thriftwizard

Oh, thank you all! I'm feeling a bit more clear-headed & able to cope now after a walk in the woods with DD2. I'll ask to actually see the doctor this afternoon; I suspect the nurse I saw on Friday probably didn't even know who my mother was and was just giving me the stock answer for a patient with no apparent infection.

Sadly we can't have her to live here, with 7 people already living in a house that's not really big enough for us, and no provision for her incapacities like a level-access shower or room to manoeuvre her walker in the loo. But we would move to somewhere we could have her with us, IF that's the best answer all round - and I suspect it will be. However it can't be done quickly - we'd need to find someone to buy this place first!

PS - also thinking of you & your dog, Pineapple...

GreyQueen

((((((((thriftwizard)))))))) thinking of you and your family at this difficult time.

My own family are in a not-dissimilar position but with Nan, who has been in hospital for 17 days now, very frail, kidneys and every other darned thing failing. No one seems to be able to tell us what to expect but each week that passes without any sign of improvement makes us think that it's unlikely she will be able to go back to her bungalow. Even with the carers back and family support.

Ach well, these things are all part of life's rich tapestry.

Heading up to the allotment shortly to work on soil prep for next year's growing season, and to harvest some veggies. Am on leave this week and now things have dried out a bit, I have stuff I need to be doing.