Thanks again all: Boa is doing much better. She is eating like a horse, but still doesn't want to be left alone. I can't believe the difference in her since I stopped the antibiotics. She demands food now, and her catmilk. Her and Bear got into their first fisticuffs in a long time when I was taking too long to get the food in the dish. She got a huge dish of whipped cream yesterday (her favorite) and didn't leave a smidgen in the bowl for Apache to finish. She is back on the tapazole now for the hyperthyroidism and doesn't even know it's in her food. I am breathing a sigh of relief. I know nothing can live forever, but I can hope. Think she will be with us for a while longer. Praise God for answering my prayers. Jenny

Gloria is right, of course. I think of a friend who has a husband who doesn't do much in terms of housework, yardwork, repair work, cooking, child care, etc. He does make the bulk of their income. I still think that I'd have a hard time living with him -- he does not seem to regard their home as partially his responsibility. I sometimes think that one of the reasons I'm single is that I expect a partner to make a significant contribution to the household. I'm flexible on what that contribution is -- I'd be happy for someone who was willing to pay for and coordinate yard work (or house work). But I've met many who expect to be picked up after and have their home life taken care of for them as above or they just don't care and are willing to live in a mess -- and I know I'm happier single than married to someone like that! Talley Sue, I am working on the thought that I need to make it easier for things to get put away. When I figure it out, I will let you know. Right now I have things cleaned up, but the usual pattern is for things to accumulate for a while, then get cleaned up again. I can only stand mess for so long. In general my house is reasonably neat/clean -- or at least never so embarrassing that I wouldn't let someone in to visit. Jean Marie

Another Frugal Function for people living in (esp. seniors') apts. is that the first person to go to bed on one side of an interior wall taps on the wall before hitting the hay ... and the person on the other side of that wall taps back. Lets each know that the other is O.K. just before first person's bedtime. Then the person goes to the interior wall on the other side of the apt. and repeats the procedure (if s/he's the first one to settle). Then each of those two know that each is O.K just before bedtime. Caution: For the person living in an end unit, maybe a good idea to put a large sign on the (inside of the) outside wall, saying, "Tap here before bed and again in the morning if you like ... but don't expect an answer: the squirrels don't like to learn to tap on walls". (That's for folks who may be a bit "squirrelly", themselves). The last one to arise in the morning on each side of a senior's apt. taps again, and the first, who rose earlier, taps a reply: that way, each of those three knows that the other was O.K. some time after break of day. Cost? Zero. Peace of mind? Substantial ... not only to the people themselves, but to their loved ones who are concerned about them. When I was a missionary helping refugees get resettled ... we used to have a slogan (accompanied by some laughter) that said that part of a missionary's job ... ... was to learn how to make a nickel do a dollar's worth of work! Inflation having been what it's been over those 55 years or so since that truce that ended the active Korean War (still no official "peace" there) ... I guess that'd be about a quarter, by now. Enjoy your week, everyone. ole joyful

In this day and age, I think we all will be under a caretaker at some point, for some length of time. No matter what you do to prepare, some of us, especially those with health challenges - such as yours, will have to go through this. I remember my Mom trying to prepare my sister and myself for the eventual mind-blowing red-tape,etc, after her passing. She sought much advice but that did not protect us. It was awful, because of the jurisdiction where she passed (and not where she lived). We had no idea that her health would end up as it did - breast cancer, then in the bone/liver. Before we could change things, the calcium in her brain from the cancer had us trying to get her to at least mark an "X", for her signature. Then, she went quickly - the Dr. didn't even know she had reached end-stage to quickly. So, no matter what we do, even if we have the money to try to make it work, it is a hopeless situation. The worst thing about getting old is the care that we can get. The US healthcare system is inexcusable!! The system is antiquated, the workers are not compensated adequately, and the type of care just is not therapeutic. They give you just enough drugs, to keep you "comfortable", but not kill you, until you are so weak that you just die! I'm watching that with a friend's relative, and she's not even sick enough to be classified as dying anytime soon! She is just immobile and in a lot of pain. They give her morphine and do nothing else. She now gets a nurse and an aid at home, but they are useless because they live in the boonies and it's difficult to get there at a decent hour because of horrid rush-hour traffic. The family is trying to do things - a tremendous workload, but they are not professionals with the knowledge and skills to do things the right way. She needs to see a Dr to be reassessed - but do ya think the nurses or aids have mentioned that!!! Anyway,I think the best way to protect ourselves is to maintain our nourishment ( and not just the food intake and ond-a-days). Minerals are important for nourishment. That's not to say that this will prevent the caretaker syndrome, but at least our minds will be a lot stronger, which in turn will help the physical aspects of aging.