Navigating senior years.

[Donstar]

I went to buy a new bulb for one of my favorite old flashlights....   It's been a long time since I've had the need and was surprised that replacement bulbs are now scarce.  A couple of young clerks were quite surprised to learn that this was actually once a replaceable item.   I did find a led conversion bulb online for the price of a couple of new flashlights!  Soon I will have a resto-mod flashlight!  It will have the running gear of a current model but of a size that can't be lost in a jacket pocket and can double as a club!  

[KARNUT]

4 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I went to buy a new bulb for one of my favorite old flashlights....   It's been a long time since I've had the need and was surprised that replacement bulbs are now scarce.  A couple of young clerks were quite surprised to learn that this was actually once a replaceable item.   I did find a led conversion bulb online for the price of a couple of new flashlights!  Soon I will have a resto-mod flashlight!  It will have the running gear of a current model but of a size that can't be lost in a jacket pocket and can double as a club!  

My wife hates the new lights it bothers her eyes. We have a closet full of the old style bulbs. Just like the headlights in vehicles now. I avoid driving at night. You go up any incline it looks like you have your brights on. Constant flashing lights at you because people think you have your brights on every time you go up an incline. If you’re alone on a road that’s what brights are for. You’re not alone just follow the guy in front of you. Texas used to have slower speeds at night. What a concept to slow down at night. No instead make the lights brighter and you can’t see anyway. 

[Donstar]

We had a storm two nights ago that cut power to our house.  My new led bulbs kept things bright and extra battery packs for our phones kept us entertained and in communication with family.  However, when it came to bedtime, I realized this has been our first power outage since I became a cpap user.  Now I'm looking at backup power for this device.  It would be ideal to find a battery backup unit for my Airsense 11 that will also run my coffee pot in the morning!  We don't often lose power and live in a place where a generator is not practical.  Anyone have a recommendation for an "affordable"  battery backup that will meet my needs?

[KARNUT]

23 minutes ago, Donstar said:

We had a storm two nights ago that cut power to our house.  My new led bulbs kept things bright and extra battery packs for our phones kept us entertained and in communication with family.  However, when it came to bedtime, I realized this has been our first power outage since I became a cpap user.  Now I'm looking at backup power for this device.  It would be ideal to find a battery backup unit for my Airsense 11 that will also run my coffee pot in the morning!  We don't often lose power and live in a place where a generator is not practical.  Anyone have a recommendation for an "affordable"  battery backup that will meet my needs?

I bought a jackery to complement my portable gas generator. It came with a solar panel to recharge during the day. I would suggest doing research for size considerations and sales. My portable gas generator and electrical hookup costs me 3K total. It will run everything but my house ac. But it will run my house and a window unit. My garage is detached. I made an exhaust extension and ran it in the garage during our last hurricane. My mother has a whole house unit. Of course it failed during the hurricane. Luckily my brother lives next door his ran. I have two freezers and a fridge. That’s why I even bother with a generator. If technology was this advanced 25 years ago. I’d have a power wall and solar panels. 

[Donstar]

I've encountered two family members in the past weeks who are hesitant to visit their respective  dying friends.  My advice to them based on first hand experience is to visit immediately and frequently.  Both the visitor and the visited benefit.   If the patient can't talk, hold hands.  If the patient can talk, you will cherish every word until it's your turn to be the visited.   "What do I say?"  Start with "Hi" and the rest will flow.  One such situation is a planned medical assisted end of life with a date and time (next week).  This topic of MAID certainly can spark lively conversation and generate greater motivation to visit immediately and frequently! Whether you agree with it or not, your friend is dying,  Being there may also better inform your views on this topic!

[diyer2]

I don't want to see anyone who is dying, I will remember them. I won't go to funerals. 

We just lost a friend to breast cancer after a 5 year battle, I didn't see her for the last year of her life. 

My mom had 8 brothers and 6 sisters, my dad had 2 brothers and 1 sister, then the grandparents plus other deaths of their children prematurely. I went to too many funerals and it soured me. Just a sad time I will avoid.

[KARNUT]

13 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

I don't want to see anyone who is dying, I will remember them. I won't go to funerals. 

We just lost a friend to breast cancer after a 5 year battle, I didn't see her for the last year of her life. 

My mom had 8 brothers and 6 sisters, my dad had 2 brothers and 1 sister, then the grandparents plus other deaths of their children prematurely. I went to too many funerals and it soured me. Just a sad time I will avoid.

My family has gravitated towards cremation and some no service. The ones who go to church have a service.  The brain does seem to filter out over time the bad images. Recently I saw my father and father in law after passing. I spent so much time with them the last image is fading being replaced with the living images. I very rarely go to funerals. I will go to a service. The cost and the space of full blown funerals are outrageous. There’s religious situations that dictate how all that is handled. We’ve had the discussion with our kids about the availability of our church. As far as our ashes do as you please. 

[Donstar]

Funerals / celebrations of life etc. are for the attendees and I avoid these events if I can.  We've all visited people near death without knowing.  It's when you know death is imminent that visits can be "difficult" for some.   I saw a Blue Bloods episode last night where the grandpa at their weekly family dinner wanted to hear what each of his family members would like to say at his Funeral.   The grandpa had just come back from attending one and he said how sad it was that the dead person doesn't get to hear the good stuff being said.   I regret whenever I've missed the opportunity to tell a dying  loved one the "good stuff" but do my best not to miss the opportunity.  I remember my most recent daily visits to a friend in a hospice care unit.  Her middle aged children were finding all sorts of excuses not to come and see her.  Her youngest told me he just wants to remember her when she was healthy.  He lived closer to our city than the others so I called him and I told him I'll pick him up at xx time and take him to see his mother.  I didn't give him a choice and assured him I'll be with him and I can do the talking.   After two minutes in the room, I was able to leave them alone    It can be a horrendously uncomfortable task to initially visit someone in their final days but you won't regret making the effort.  The youngest shared his experience with his siblings and this friend of mine died with all of her kids at her side. 

[KARNUT]

8 minutes ago, Donstar said:

Funerals / celebrations of life etc. are for the attendees and I avoid these events if I can.  We've all visited people near death without knowing.  It's when you know death is imminent that visits can be "difficult" for some.   I saw a Blue Bloods episode last night where the grandpa at their weekly family dinner wanted to hear what each of his family members would like to say at his Funeral.   The grandpa had just come back from attending one and he said how sad it was that the dead person doesn't get to hear the good stuff being said.   I regret whenever I've missed the opportunity to tell a dying  loved one the "good stuff" but do my best not to miss the opportunity.  I remember my most recent daily visits to a friend in a hospice care unit.  Her middle aged children were finding all sorts of excuses not to come and see her.  Her youngest told me he just wants to remember her when she was healthy.  He lived closer to our city than the others so I called him and I told him I'll pick him up at xx time and take him to see his mother.  I didn't give him a choice and assured him I'll be with him and I can do the talking.   After two minutes in the room, I was able to leave them alone    It can be a horrendously uncomfortable task to initially visit someone in their final days but you won't regret making the effort.  The youngest shared his experience with his siblings and this friend of mine died with all of her kids at her side. 

My father was delusional during his last few weeks. I visited daily. One of the last conversations out of the blue was about cars. He recognized my voice and started talking about cars. 

[99silveradoz71]

I agree with the above. I had the opportunity to write a letter to my grandmother when she was battling cancer and her time was winding down. It brought me comfort when she passed away that she knew what she meant to me and how much I valued the time we spent together. 

 

I also gave my dad's eulogy when he passed away. It was one of the most difficult things I've done, but also one of the most gratifying. The opportunity to tell the story of someone's life and their impact is pretty powerful. 

 

[Donstar]

I used to think of Black Friday and Boxing Day as an opportunity to get electronics at a good price.  TV and Stereo bargains  generated huge lines before stores opened on these days.  Yesterday I was online, not inline,  and found myself shopping for good deals on CPAP equipment!  Boasting about the great deal I got on newly released nasal pillow mask somehow doesn't generate any jealousy amongst my friends!   

[TrueBlue]

Still, it's better than getting beat over the head for a TV at Walmart!

[KARNUT]

Dirty little secret. The sales will be there after the holidays.

[Donstar]

It's always a good feeling when you get a good deal.  We have one major hardware chain that appears to put the bulk of their inventory on sale on a rotational basis.  If you wait, the item you want to buy will eventually be on sale for 40% off their regular price.  Of course if you buy the item at the regular price, you're paying a lot more than the item is worth!   Furniture stores are  great at producing colourful price tags.  We recently saved $2k on a new mattress.  The same mattress using a different model name is available in another store for a regular price of a $100 more than the price we paid.  We feel we bought a good mattress at a fair price but nothing to brag about.  Black Friday / Boxing Day sales are a great time to shop for "feel good" pricing.  The "low" prices help justify purchases that you wouldn't normally make.  I saved about $200 on CPAP mask purchases on Black Friday.  I only need one but I bought two to double my savings!  Who knew that my expenditure would also double?

[Donstar]

Prostate cancer took my father and was going to take my brother but another  malady took him first.   My prostate is problematic (not cancer so far) and monitored every six months.  This week I had my checkup and my urologist prescribed pills to relieve the symptoms.  One of the side effects of one of the pills is that it could increase risk of the more serious forms of cancer!  I appreciate that the manufacturer is protecting itself and that my Doctor believes the benefits of this medication outweigh the risks.  However,  the choice is up to me and more information will guide my decision. I sure appreciate Mr. Google at these times!