Thanks for updating this thread!
It's been a long one for us. The heavy snowload (Spokane, Washington) on my Dad's roof caused its collapse sometime in early January. So, we've been dealing with the contractor and insurance company (both, by the way, have been really great to work with
). The repair work is 100% covered by the insurance, so that is not a worry.
The contractor has been coming out every other day to put snow-melt on the roof to help break-up the huge ice dam up there. But, it will sitll be awhile longer before they can really begin repair work (stability issues). Until then, the roof has been shored-up to prevent further collapse.
The deck on the house is at a bit of an angle, so that will probably need replacing, as well.
We can't go into the house until we know exactly how bad things are. Plus, there is still a 3' high berm of solid ice blocking the driveway (from the street plowing), so no-go on putting in a dumpster to begin the tossing of the house contents.
We are going to throw everything in the house away. Too much cigarette smoke contamination to deal with. We live over an hour away and I am not up to a garage/yard sale in the Spring (too much to clean). I don't want to do it, so it is easier to toss the contents of the house away.
I removed anything of sentimental value already. In fact, while cleaning a bunch of Mom's jewelry and picture frames and some glassware, I ended up with nicotine poisoning from the contaminated cleaning water (I didn't wear gloves). We'll all be wearing gloves as we toss things in the dumpster!
The next BIG job will be renovating and upgrading the house to put it on the market in the late Spring. I plan to make it as enjoyable a job as I possibly can! With its location in the city and the improvements, I think it will sell fairly quickly, even given the current economy.
My Mom is doing better. The cast came off just before Christmas and she showed such improvement from her first two weeks of PT (three times a week), that they told her she didn't need the full 6 weeks of PT. Yea!!! She is walking without any limp or use of her walker. She started her daily walks, again, as well.
She has begun to have some bladder incontinence problems, so I have had to increase the nights I go over to give her a bath (she refuses to allow any of the aides to assist her into the tub). Now, I am over there 5 nights a week (more if she has had an accident). Its difficult but I don't want her to end up with a bladder infection. Dh and ds are wonderfully supportive of my increased time away from them.
No word from my worthless siblings since Dad's burial. They haven't called once. Well, that's not true, my sister called and left a message on Mom's answering machine sometime in January (we were at PT). But, they haven't called here to ask me how Mom is doing, not even to wish Mom a Merry Christmas (they knew she would be with us).
On the other hand, local friends always ask how she is and they visit her, as well (I never asked them to, they are simply kind and thoughtful people).
I received the autopsy report on my Dad. I wish I hadn't read it. I guess I was naive, I didn't realize it would be so detailed. Take my advice, if you have the opportunity to read one about your parents, DON'T. It is heartbreaking.
All the things regarding Dad's estate and life insurance benefits (for Mom) are completed. I will be taking their taxes to H&R Block, as I did last year, it sure made things easy and wasn't expensive.
We have begun the design of my parent's headstone. Since they will be in the same plot (Dad was buried, Mom wants to be cremated), we will have one stone. It is going to be a beautiful Air Force-blue granite (quarried in Norway, I think). We'll have both their pictures on it with a B-24 (the plane he flew during WWII and held a special place in his heart) on Dad's half and Egyptian hieroglyphics on Mom's half (she loves anything to do with Egypt). It will be really cool with traces of their humor on it. It will be placed sometime around Memorial Dad (when the snow should finally, be gone!).
I hope everyone else is doing okay. Let's keep this thread rolling!
It's been a long one for us. The heavy snowload (Spokane, Washington) on my Dad's roof caused its collapse sometime in early January. So, we've been dealing with the contractor and insurance company (both, by the way, have been really great to work with
). The repair work is 100% covered by the insurance, so that is not a worry.The contractor has been coming out every other day to put snow-melt on the roof to help break-up the huge ice dam up there. But, it will sitll be awhile longer before they can really begin repair work (stability issues). Until then, the roof has been shored-up to prevent further collapse.
The deck on the house is at a bit of an angle, so that will probably need replacing, as well.
We can't go into the house until we know exactly how bad things are. Plus, there is still a 3' high berm of solid ice blocking the driveway (from the street plowing), so no-go on putting in a dumpster to begin the tossing of the house contents.
We are going to throw everything in the house away. Too much cigarette smoke contamination to deal with. We live over an hour away and I am not up to a garage/yard sale in the Spring (too much to clean). I don't want to do it, so it is easier to toss the contents of the house away.
I removed anything of sentimental value already. In fact, while cleaning a bunch of Mom's jewelry and picture frames and some glassware, I ended up with nicotine poisoning from the contaminated cleaning water (I didn't wear gloves). We'll all be wearing gloves as we toss things in the dumpster!
The next BIG job will be renovating and upgrading the house to put it on the market in the late Spring. I plan to make it as enjoyable a job as I possibly can! With its location in the city and the improvements, I think it will sell fairly quickly, even given the current economy.
My Mom is doing better. The cast came off just before Christmas and she showed such improvement from her first two weeks of PT (three times a week), that they told her she didn't need the full 6 weeks of PT. Yea!!! She is walking without any limp or use of her walker. She started her daily walks, again, as well.
She has begun to have some bladder incontinence problems, so I have had to increase the nights I go over to give her a bath (she refuses to allow any of the aides to assist her into the tub). Now, I am over there 5 nights a week (more if she has had an accident). Its difficult but I don't want her to end up with a bladder infection. Dh and ds are wonderfully supportive of my increased time away from them.
No word from my worthless siblings since Dad's burial. They haven't called once. Well, that's not true, my sister called and left a message on Mom's answering machine sometime in January (we were at PT). But, they haven't called here to ask me how Mom is doing, not even to wish Mom a Merry Christmas (they knew she would be with us).
On the other hand, local friends always ask how she is and they visit her, as well (I never asked them to, they are simply kind and thoughtful people).
I received the autopsy report on my Dad. I wish I hadn't read it. I guess I was naive, I didn't realize it would be so detailed. Take my advice, if you have the opportunity to read one about your parents, DON'T. It is heartbreaking.
All the things regarding Dad's estate and life insurance benefits (for Mom) are completed. I will be taking their taxes to H&R Block, as I did last year, it sure made things easy and wasn't expensive.
We have begun the design of my parent's headstone. Since they will be in the same plot (Dad was buried, Mom wants to be cremated), we will have one stone. It is going to be a beautiful Air Force-blue granite (quarried in Norway, I think). We'll have both their pictures on it with a B-24 (the plane he flew during WWII and held a special place in his heart) on Dad's half and Egyptian hieroglyphics on Mom's half (she loves anything to do with Egypt). It will be really cool with traces of their humor on it. It will be placed sometime around Memorial Dad (when the snow should finally, be gone!).
I hope everyone else is doing okay. Let's keep this thread rolling!
For under her bed, what about getting one of those plastic floor covers that you use on top of carpeting under desks (so that the chair will roll easily). I know they come in different shapes and sizes. With one of those and a rubber-backed floor rug (like you would use in a bathroom), she couldn't slip, the urine wouldn't go through to the flooring and all of it is washable.
:
Follow Mothering