Mental Health Break

Today Curtis took the morning shift so that I could take a little mental health break. I had an appointment with Tricia from Tattoo Traditions to get a tattoo commemorating the more than 20 years that I have spent volunteering with communities on various social justice issues. The top band is the ihe or spear, the lower band is makaloa or hala; together to me they represent fighting alongside the community to help the people. I spent about 6 hours with Tricia, about 2&1/2 hours was the actual inking of the design. During the tattooing the pain was less than getting bitten by a wasp, after tattooing there is no pain unless I poke it. It is definitely way lot less pain than having a baby, I'm not sure why some guys faint when they get tattoos.

Intermediate stage. (Photo by Tricia)

Finished design. (Photo by Brent)

Dad is still eating very little of the real meals; we have been concentrating on making him drink the nutritional supplements.

Dinner.

First thing this morning I was able to use the WiiFit to do my weigh-in. It says with my latest 0.9 pound weight loss this past week I now have a normal BMI, albeit a high normal. I am still a little less than 20 pounds from my goal weight of 100 pounds. Before I was pregnant the weight I felt healthiest at was 85; I was unable to lose 5 of the 55 pounds I had gained during my pregnancy. After a few years, 90 pounds felt like a good weight; at 85 I felt too weak, 95 made me feel sluggish. Then I herniated a disc and gained 20 pounds and felt very sluggish. Fibromyalgia made me gain another 10 pounds. Then after I stopped working I gained a few more pounds, then I moved back home and had no time for regular exercise and my weight ballooned up to 130 pounds. I lost a few pounds and was at 125.4 pounds for the starting point in late December when I got the Fitbit. Once I get down to 100, I will see if that is a good weight or if I need to drop back down to 90 pounds.


I also spent time reorganizing the living room in preparation for the delivery of Curtis' old couch which replaces Mom & Dad's really old couch that we threw out when we refinished the living room floor in December.

Boxes from master bedroom, living room, & guest bedroom.

Happy Birthday to Gene, Jennifer, Patricia, & Erica!

Dad Ate a Little More Today, Sort Of

For breakfast Dad actually ate almost all of his papaya and 1/4 of his hard-boiled egg plus 240 ml Breeze "juice". He didn't do as well for lunch; he didn't eat a thing but he drank 240 ml Breeze and 120 ml Plus. For dinner Dad ate only a couple bites of an egg salad sandwich, drank 240 ml Plus, ate a Nutter Butter, and a couple of spoonfuls of Magic Cup. LPN Rio said she will give Dad his evening pills with the Magic Cup.

Breakfast.

CNA Aladin weighed Dad today. He is now 121.8 pounds! He was 119.2 pounds on April 28th, so he has gained 2.6 pounds. Our insistence on him drinking the Boost supplements if he is not eating the rest of his meals must be helping!

On my walk to Maunalani Park this morning while Dad was at the music session there were no White-rumped Shamas (Copsychus malabaricus) around, but I did see a cavity in one of the trees. On my cursory look around I didn't see any sign of it being occupied. I'll keep looking for their nest cavity.

Later in the afternoon I had another break so I walked down to Maunalani Park again; after a while exercise becomes kind of addictive for me. It makes me feel alive. Kelly & Abby were at the park again; I got photos this time. Unlike Bruce, Abby is extremely focused on the frisbee; she didn't care about the great dog treats I have now. When Abby was taking breaks from chasing the frisbee I had a great time talking to Kelly about being a crew member on Hokule'a for the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage; he was on Leg 17 from Brazil to the Virgin Islands. Here's Abby in action.

Abby & Kelly.

This is what happens when you try to convey action in a series of stills.

I haven't figured out how to upload videos to this blog yet.

So you'll just have to look at a lot of stills.

Abby starts her leap and gets lost in the foliage; she's to the right of the gap, you can see her tail. The frisbee is several feet above the top of the fence.

Abby & the frisbee are now on their way back down. Half of Abby's body is above the top of the fence, the frisbee is at the top of the fence.

I got a call from Alexis from the Hawai'i Wildlife Center this morning. They needed an 'alae 'ula (Hawaiian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis) transported from Feather & Fur to the airport for a noon flight; but since I was here at Maunalani in the morning I couldn't do it. I told her I could do a late afternoon flight; she was going to check with the airline since she had not been able to find anyone to do a morning transport. Since I never got another call something must have worked out with one of the other volunteers. It would have been really cool to transport the 'alae 'ula, they are endemic to Hawai'i; between 1993 and 2003 just under 300 individuals were found annually in the state with about half on O'ahu and the other half on Kaua'i, so doing a transport is probably the only way I would ever get to see one.

The Roommates are checking out the WiiFit as I write this. They didn't want me taking any photos of them setting up their avatars with their biological information. Perhaps when they have reached their goals they will let me take photos of their successes.

Tomorrow I am taking a mental health break in the morning. Check on Monday for what I will be doing tomorrow!

Happy Birthday to Keith! And Happy Anniversary to Helen & Sergio!

Still Trying

Our strategy with Dad is to try to get him to eat his meal; but if he doesn't eat much then we tell him he has to drink all the Boost Breeze & Boost Plus supplements that he is given along with that meal. For breakfast this morning Jessa even got peanut butter for his pancake but he only ate about half of it and nothing else. So I got him to drink 240 ml Breeze "juice" and 240 ml Plus "milk". Lunch was similar, he only ate 1/4 of his peanut butter & jelly sandwich, but drank another 240 ml of Breeze and 180 ml of Plus. Dinner was also primarily liquid with 240 ml Breeze & 120 ml of Plus. Today is Dad's 10th day on the Remeron; May 8th will be 2 weeks. If he's still not eating by next Wednesday, I will talk to Dr. Gries about adjusting the dosage.

Breakfast.

Lunch.

Dad stayed in the wheelchair for almost 4 hours; the Royal Purple seat cushion is really helping! He ate both breakfast & lunch in the wheelchair. We also spent about half an hour sitting in the hazy sunlight on the patio; Popokilani wasn't around so I watched the brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) displaying & catching bugs while Dad took a nap. Then Dad spent an hour listening & singing along when Lynn & Gloria were playing the ukulele. I think the ukulele time is a very good activity for him; it is the most engaged he gets with any activity.

Napping at the viewpoint.

Brown anole (Anolis sangrei).

At both breakfast & lunch Dad was sitting at a table with a Mrs. Keliikipi. At lunch I asked her if she had any relatives on the Big Island; she said yes, in Kona, Hilo, & Kohala! But she couldn't remember their names. There was a Keliikipi family that was good friends with Grandma & Grandpa; they lived a couple houses away. I remember Mrs. Keliikipi teaching me how to steam the kalo and pound it on a papa kuiai with the pohaku kuiai to make paiai, then make poi out of it. It is one of the memories I have where my brother & sister are not around. I am glad I was able to visit with Mrs. Keliikipi the year before she passed away; one of her grandsons lives in the Kona area, her granddaughter lives in the Hilo area. So the Mrs. Keliikipi who is at Maunalani might just be related to them.

On my walk to Maunalani Park today I saw a pair of White-rumped Shamas right at the park. I took a couple of photos and also listened to a recording of shamas calling so I could, hopefully, recognize their call. I also Googled to see what their nests looked like; they nest in tree cavities. (Which probably means the dead baby birds I found were not shamas.) So now I need to look for holes in trees.

White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus).

On the way to the mailbox I found a part of an eggshell. I think it is a mejiro (Zosterops japonicus) egg shell, its about the right size. I checked the mango tree above where I found the  shell for a nest but I could only see mangoes.



The LifeProof case arrived today!!! I actually didn't see it when I got home. One of The Roommates found it on top of the mattress that we have stored in the garage; it was above my eye level. Once I got it I followed Eric the customer service guy's recommendation and water tested the new case; he also recommended retesting it every 3 months if I was planning on being around water with the phone. I never tested the 1st one since the Verizon guy installed it. And the customer service guy for the 2nd one said nothing about water testing it. However, if I had read the Owner's Manual, I would have found it starting on Page 5. Case No. 3 passed with flying colors!

Newly arrived LifeProof case!

Water testing the LifeProof case; it stays under for 30 minutes.

While I was eating dinner tonight, Chibi decided to give me a little present. It was nice and warm.

I didn't step on it, I saw it being produced.

On Day 2 of the Kilauea eruption last night's fissure stopped spewing lava but 6 others opened up. As of tonight's news cast, they were still spewing. Apparently 2 houses have been at least partially burned. There was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake about 12:30 this afternoon. They say some people on O'ahu felt it; I didn't, I think I might have drifted off in a short nap while sitting in the chair in Dad's room. There is no prediction on how long this eruption phase will last.

(Screen shot from KGMB)

(Screen shot from KGMB)

(Screen shot from KGMB)

Happy Birthday to Mary!

Maybe He's Getting Hungrier?

Although Dad didn't eat much at breakfast, for lunch he ate his entire peanut butter and jelly sandwich albeit over a 3 hour period, had about 240 ml Breeze, & a Nutter Butter. For dinner he went back to not eating, but he did at least drink 240 ml of Boost Plus.

Dad's second lunch; he polished off the rest of his sandwich.

I brought Xander for a visit again today. We scheduled it so that Curtis took the morning shift, then I brought Xander in about noon. When Curtis left about 2 p.m. he took Xander with him and dropped him off at home.

Xander acting like a dog, lying quietly by Dad's bed.

Xander keeping Dad company during his second lunch.

I also brought a bunch of Nutter Butters and the plastic container Dad likes to keep them in. The container is not airtight, so the Nutter Butters get a little soggy, which is the way he likes them.


During my walk to Maunalani Park this afternoon I saw a bird I have never seen before. Of course, I got a bunch of terrible photos of it in the tree it retreated to as I approached! But then it flew back down to the ground where I had 1st seen it scratching in the leaves. I believe it is a male White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus); in looks and behavior, it actually reminded me of a Spotted Towhee (Pipilio maculatus). Shamas are in their nesting season right now, so may be there is a nest in the trees around the park! (Hopefully those 2 dead baby birds weren't shamas. But if they were, shamas are known to raise 2 broods in a season so may be they will have another nest.) I will have to pay attention to see if I can find the nest and watch for fledglings later in the season.

White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus).

The other day I discovered that the staff has a soft toy they stick in the door to the lanai on the 2nd floor to keep it from closing all the way and locking. They keep it on top of the computer monitor enclosure. I will use it if I go to the lanai for phone calls but not when I do my walks.

The pink thing is the toy being used as a doorstop.

I got my hair cut today by one of The Roommates. I wasn't paying attention so the top portion, which I like a little bit longer than the sides, is shorter than normal. But I don't have to look at me so its okay. And I can go a little bit longer between haircuts now! Winner!

For several days now the Kilauea volcano has been showing lots of signs of an imminent eruption. There have been lots of small earthquakes, like 10 or so per hour, in the vicinity. And small cracks showing up all over the place. This afternoon it finally came to the surface in the Puna district and evacuations were started. FYI My house is on the opposite side of the island from this activity, almost as far as you could possibly get from it.

Lava oozing up in Leilani Estates. (Screen shot from KGMB)

Smoke from the Pu'u O'O vent. (Screen shot from KGMB)

Diagram of the East Rift Zone and subdivisions being impacted. (Screen shot from KGMB)

Apparently the cats were in my room from sometime this afternoon until one of The Roommates came home & heard them meowing. Someone left me a present. I'm guessing it was Xander! It was old, but I didn't step in it, it was under the table.


Happy Birthday to Aunty Judy, Mary Ellen, & Mary D!

Still Waiting for Hunger to Kick In

Dad did not eat much at breakfast; only about 120 ml Breeze and 25% of his meal. But at lunch he ate more; 50% of his peanut butter & jelly sandwich, 240 ml Breeze, & 240 ml Plus. For dinner he only drank 240 ml Boost Plus and 120 ml Breeze.

Dad eating his ice cream.

While Dad went to the Namaste & Music session at 10, I went to Maunalani Park to walk. Since the Namaste & Music session goes until 11:30. I could stay at the park until about 11 and still get back in time to get him, even with my cool down stretches. I decided to do several laps instead of my usual single lap to make up for the less than stellar walk yesterday when I only felt like puking. While at the park a Blue Heeler kept running up to me and wanting to follow me; it was Bruce. His human, Chris, and I figured it must be the cat treats I keep in my pocket for Popokilani!

Bruce.

Bruce & Chris on the newly mowed park lawn.

I brought some of the park lawn back with me; I had to clean up the floor in Dad's room.

I talked with Mr. Yamada's daughter Shirley today. It turns out Mr. Yamada likes cats, also! She said it was OK to let Xander visit wth him the next time he comes to visit Dad. Shirley says they like to come on Wednesdays & Sundays.

I had to tape the charging door of the LifeProof case together today. I'm glad the new case will be here by the end of the week.

What? No duct tape?

After I left Maunalani I went to Petco; I needed Instinct Raw Cage-Free Chicken cat food so I could get Xander to eat the MiraLax powder to keep him regular. I also wanted to get treats for Popokilani, she doesn't seem to like the catnip & chicken flavored dental treats, so I got her salmon-flavored Feline Greenies SmartBites. These will be solely for Popokilani since Xander can't have anything with fish meal in it. Finally, I got some dog treats for the many dogs I meet at the park. (Now Bruce will have a good reason to come & follow me.) I got Blue Wilderness Trail Treats; it says it has "Wolf-Style Chicken Bites", whatever those are. The key for me is that they are grain-free with high quality protein.

L to R: dog treats, cat treats, & raw treats.

Happy Birthday to Bobbye!

Dad Improves His Mind

Dad likes his National Geographic magazine. So when the latest one arrived last week I took it to him. Up until today he showed no interest in it; today Curtis asked him if he wanted to look at it and he did!

(Photo by Curtis)

This morning Curtis & I met with Remy, Arceli, & Kirsten to talk about Dad's long-term care in his first Care Conference; Remy covered the medical care, Arceli talked about the activities portion, and Kirsten handled the social work aspects. This updates the 2-week care conference that I had with Remy in the first couple of days that Dad was here. For the most part we are satisfied with the care that Dad is receiving; the RNs and CNAs have been great! We have requested an assessment by the PTs/OTs to see if we can have Dad receiving PT &/or OT since he has much less pain and is now also helping more with his transitions. We also requested he be moved to a bed by a window if one comes available on either side and on any floor; we shall see what happens. As for activities, we told them Dad likes to sit alone but we have noticed that the ukulele sessions are good for him as well as the Namaste & Music, and he likes going out to visit Popokilani; he could care less about the rest of the activities. We also told them the CNAs Venus & Jessa are great with him during the day and that CNA Dennis from the evening shift engages Dad in talking about fishing & cats. The next regular Care Conference will be in about 3 months, but if needed we could ask for one earlier.

After the conference we took Dad out to the lanai next to the 2nd floor dining room for lunch. He was sitting with Mr. Ihrig and Mrs. Honjo, both are very good eaters with a little assistance. The CNAs helping them kept encouraging Dad to eat. He ended up eating most of a half peanut butter & jelly sandwich and all of his Breeze. After that he fell asleep at the table, but he wasn't the only one!

Nap time!

Curtis & I went to Chili's for lunch. He had a bowl of chili and the Southwestern Egg Rolls; I had the Bacon, Avocado & Chicken Sandwich with a side of onion rings. The egg rolls were excellent! The sandwich kept trying to deconstruct itself every time I took a bite. Although good tasting, the bowl of chili was on the small side.

Chili'c Chili. (Photo by Curtis)

Southwestern Egg Rolls.

Bacon, Cheese, Avocado, & Chicken Sandwich.

While at lunch we discussed The Roommates. I told Curtis I will teach them how to cook and how to do minor home repairs. I am also teaching them how to take care of the regular maintenance items like garbage day and paying Tony the lawn guy. Since their original purpose was to help with Dad and that is no longer necessary, I will be putting them to work doing other things. A big one is sorting through all the things in the house, figuring out what to toss, what to sell, and what to keep. We started when we changed the carpet in the living room and had to unload the shelves of all of Mom's knickknacks, but there's still a lot to do; they've collected stuff in this house for 48 years!

After I got back to Maunalani, I met Yuki & her handler Chris. They come by to visit with residents who like dogs. Unfortunately Dad was asleep when they came by.

Chris & his therapy dog Yuki.

I have usually been walking at around 3 pm since that is shift change time and a lot of people are around if Dad needs anything during the 15 minutes or so that I am gone. I decided to do it a little later today since I returned from lunch at 2:30; I went around 4 instead. Bad idea. The walk down was sort of okay, but I could feel that my stomach really hadn't emptied that much. I took the walk back slower, but I still felt like puking all the way back up the hill. Note to self: make lunch very, very light or much earlier in the day before walking. I can't figure out how we used to do this on field work days. Perhaps since we were working so hard before lunch we digested lunch quicker than I do when I am just sitting in a chair. Whatever, no heavy lunch before walking!!! (Or wait until a lot later.)

Dad just picked at his dinner. He ate about half of the Boston Cream Cake and all of his chocolate Boost Plus, but nothing else. At the Care Conference this morning, they did say that dementia patients sometimes forget to eat and drink, so we'll have to do our best to encourage him to eat and drink.


My LifeProof case is breaking again. This one is only 8 months old, the previous one lasted 2 years. They have a great warranty, I called, they will be sending me another case; this will be the 3rd one I am getting for my initial investment of $80. Eric the customer service rep said as long as they have the cases in stock, I can call to get it replaced! For free! Amazing! This applies to OtterBox cases which they also make.

Happy Birthday to Xander! He is 16 years old. Although he isn't the oldest cat in the house, he acts like he is. He's grumpy when the other cats try to get him to play with them. And he won't play by himself either. He never goes racing around the house on his own, he just slowly saunters along.

Happy Birthday also to Noel, Fred, & Shoji!