Dennis the Menace

It's 2:38 am on a Thursday morning. Why am I awake?

No, I did not wake up and suddenly need to go to the bathroom. No, although I often do wake myself up snoring, that is not the case either. It, of course, is Dennis.

So what did he do this time?

He has been worried lately, about everything. He is sure that his feeding tube is plugged. He is positive that Raquel and I are plotting against him. He thinks that his catheter isn't draining properly. He isn't eating. He isn't getting out of bed. He isn't having any fun.

And he wants to make sure that I am miserable, too.

We talked when I came home from work, and I thought we had moved ahead, a bit. But then he woke me, at 2ish, to check his catheter. I, very unhappily, crawled out of bed (we keep the temp at 62 degrees, so it is COLD) and put together a set up for unclogging the tube. I inserted water, and then pulled out nice, clean and unclogged urine. No blood, no clots, no nothing but urine. Now he feels better and I am sitting here stewing.

No, he really doesn't want me to be miserable. too. But he is very high maintenance - not a quality that I admire.

We will get through this period. We always do. In the meantime, I have my computer, a free blog site and you, my dear readers (who said that?) to listen to me.

Until later,
Ann and Dennis

A Small Whine

Last Wednesday, Dennis took a course called Choices, at Pathways. Tonight he returned for his second session.

He was supposed to get Metro Mobility to take him to and from the class. He hates the inconvenience of MM and forgot to schedule the ride until it was too late to find a good ride. Oh, I believe that. So, even though I had just spent another day driving the 200 mile round trip to Eau Claire, I took him there and in an hour, I will pick him back up.

We have discussed this ride thing often. His complaint is that Metro takes so long. Sometimes he has to wait while others are picked up or dropped off. Some days they don't have an appropriate time, and he arrives early or late. And he has to pay for the ride, and spending money on something that doesn't bring about immediate satisfaction is a sore spot with Dennis.

What he doesn't understand is when he inconveniences me when I need to take him to someplace. I have to spend 3 hours doing nothing, or find something to do. It wouldn't be so bad if he checked with me first, so I could make some plans. I could use the time to meet a friend. I could, now that Mother lives close, visit Jones-Harrison to see her. I could shop, or take a walk, or simply relax. But, when he does this, he just springs it on me at the last minute.

That's my complaint for the day. Other than this, he is perfect.

Until later,
Ann and Dennis