gardengal is 100% right on handrails! An absolute must for a long, sloping walkway for balance... If there is a suitable place off the front porch where it either drops to ground level or to a lower level that would considerably reduce the length of ramp required, you might want to consider the option of a porch lift as a complete - or partial- solution. When we bought and renovated this bungalow 9 years ago, my preference was for ramps for access but what I wanted (a double outer wall to allow for a 'hanging garden' to be built into the ramp...) turned out to be much too expensive. In addition, even though the drop to ground level was only about 3', the length of ramp was awkward to accommodate without interfering with garage access. So we had to come up with an alternative in a hurry as the renovation was nearing completion. We had porch lifts installed in both front and back porches. They are practical but rather utilitarian in appearance so we hid them behind lattice walls over which we grow vines. It was a hastily put together solution that is soon going to be due for a re-work to make a nicer arbour out of them. The cost of the lifts, while not inexpensive, was considerably less than the ramps I originally wanted. I'm sure your aunts would initially not like the idea of the lifts from looking at their utilitarian appearance but if you can imagine them with a nice arbour built around them, the idea might be more acceptable. They are certainly a very easy access option. I have a service check done twice a year but, other than that, they've been no maintenance. Power failures are a risk - I got stuck in the backyard for a while during that big power failure a few years ago....:-) If you're worried about something like that, you can get a battery back-up to ensure power is always available. These aren't the best of pictures, but here is a view of the tower wall (the 'tower' contains the machinery that oporates and supports the lift..) for the: front lift: back lift: Just another option to consider....

I see that you already made a decision with your vacuum purchase for your parents, and am glad it is working well for them. I realize you don't need this info, but posting in case helpful to anyone else. I have an Oreck XL 21 that I purchased 9 yrs ago when pregnant (it has 21 annual cleanings/maintenance), but this was when they were still made in US, I believe. Works well, and I love the lightweight aspect and huge bags (they hold lots and lots of dirt/animal hair!), which are easy to change. I also have a small, rechargeable Shark bagless for quick clean-ups for the fall out from my daughter's gerbils, and quick dog/cat hair pickup. Gotta say, I HATE emptying it, and digging out the hair collected in the filters. Have a 15 year old Miele White Star canister too (like many here, I do have a bit of an addiction to vacs). Give us another update after they've been using them for a while. =)

In gen people who are in this situation shouldn't IMO keep pets unless they have plans for what happens to the animals in question, and the species they keep. Most people like this cannot afford good/decent pet food, or are too lazy, ignorant to see to that, stats show diet is often the most neglected aspect of pet care. I think this is an excellent idea though KF88 because people are not going to just wake up and see sense,and it is true there are curtain arrangements where I see it to be very very good. I'm lucky my parents will take my cats in the future, so bad things don't happen to them in the group home or the other way around with the people. Cats especially are by law, in MN at least, (only if loose and at large,free roaming) considered wild animals, and the ways group homes use to limit/control. problems such as scratching are barbaric as well as possibly dangerous to the people who live with them, we had a woman get bit by a de clawed cat- and I got bit by the cat when she brought the cat to work . On the other hand I understand why de-clawing would come up- my dad got a blood infection from a clawing that one of our previous cats in my childhood- the answer is then just not to have um in the first place. Many people do not like cats/dogs/pets, or are ill equipped to live with them especially those who are violent and unstable, we had someone throw a chair at one of my friends, at work, she, the attacker, probably lives in a group home, a lot of the people at my job do.. The victim got a bruised leg. - I asked what happened to stop the behavior from happening again., the victim reported to me the attackers mother was "rich and powerful" and so nothing was done. On the whole through if everyone is okay with it, accepts its what the animal does without resorting to cruel solutions, and no new people are going into that arrangement who may have an allergy, its a good idea.

I am soooo relieved that the Miralax is working for Casey (and I'm sure she is, too)! I feel the same way every time I see one of Billy's nice long tootsies. Constipation can make them feel so miserable and sick. You have vastly improved Casey's quality of life with Miralax. I definitely think you should take your neighbor up on her offer to administer subQs for you at home. I know you're having a hard time believing that Casey will be more cooperative with less restraint, but hopefully your neighbor will be able to demonstrate the validity of that for you. I do understand your misgivings, though. Billy is extremely short-tempered and does NOT like to be messed with, so when he was diagnosed with both CRF and hyperT, I was dreading having to medicate him, much less having to eventually administer subQs to my potentially violent old man. To make matters worse, my housemate moved out right before Billy started needing subQs, so I was faced with having to administer them without any assistance. I had nightmares of lying on the floor bleeding to death with Billy firmly attached to my jugular vein. But what choice did I have? Billy needed subQs, and I was the only one here to administer them. I knew my only chance of surviving the procedure was to keep it all as low key as possible. Billy had chosen a diningroom chair as his favorite sleeping spot, so I rigged a way to hang the fluid bag from the curtain rod next to the chair. While he was napping, I quietly hung the bag, sat down next to him (which instantly woke him and caused him to stand up), and slipped in the needle as quickly as possible. To my utter amazement, Billy didn't object at all. He stood there while I silently stroked his face until the administration was finished. I was stunned at how easily it all went. Things have changed a bit since then. It didn't take Billy long to figure out that the diningroom chair was where he got his fluids, so he abandoned the chair and started napping elsewhere. Now I have to find him and carry him to the chair for fluids, but as long as I do so quietly and carry him carefully, he usually doesn't do more than grumble softly. Sometimes if I don't get the needle exactly where he wants it, he'll start growling in mid-administration. I have to be VERY careful at that point NOT to touch him (other than to hold the needle in place), or he'll attack me. So I just hold my hand an inch or two in front of his chest so that he knows I won't allow him to leave, and he stays put and growls until I'm finished. If I get the needle in a comfortable spot, however, he'll generally sit or stand without objection until we're done. I can absolutely guarantee you, though, that if I did anything other than use my body position to restrict his movement, he'd fight like a demon during subQs. There is absolutely NO WAY that a restraint bag would do anything other than increase Billy's fight instinct, and I suspect the same will be true for Casey. You need to reduce the stress response, not increase it, in order to be successful with subQs. A restraint bag is likely to feel a lot like a carrier to Casey, so she may very well have the same stress response to the bag that she has to her carrier. Casey's also likely to be in a considerably happier (and hopefully more cooperative) mood now that she's not dealing with chronic constipation anymore. Don't worry. All of this will work out, one day and one procedure at a time. Laurie