CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE A BROTHER.

Hello Nice People

     Today is Holy Thursday.  I loved the pictures on the news of Pope Francis washing the feet of women, men and handicapped.  Before him, Popes never washed the feet of women.  I don't know, is that a step forward?

     WWJD, WWYD (What would you do),  or, How did I get into this?!
I have a brother!  An 83 year old, stubborn batchelor.  Last June, he was put into a nursing home, which is a very nice place.  This came about after a fall in his grungy apartment.  Grungy, because he was no longer able to take care of IT or himself.  So he is definitly in a good place.  He is clean, has a clean bed and good food.  I found out about this turn of events from a family member.  Now, the elephant in the room here is that he had not spoken to me for 35 years.  He lived two small towns away and I would see him now and then, I even tried to talk to him a few times. With no success.  There never was a good reason for this.
      Here is where I took it upon myself to just go up, present myself to him and see how it plays out.  I walked into his room and said, "Do you know who I am?"     Nope. he went down a list of relatives, living and dead, so I finally said, "I'm Marlene, your sister."  I can understand him not recognizing me, 69 years old now and snow white hair.  Well, son of a gun, he accepted me.  Of course, I am not so stupid not to know that now he needs me.
     All relatives live 60-70 miles away, so there is really no one that can visit on a regular basis.  I live 6 blocks from the nursing home.
     Well, since then, I have become his regular visitor.  I make sure that I am there on Sundays and Wednesdays.  Now he has my phone number and he calls me.  "Are you coming up here today?"  So its now about 4 days a week.  I keep him in all his snacks and goodies:  Fruit, candy, cupcakes and soda.  When I go, I bring him his favorite meals:  Spaghetti and clams, subs, sandwiches, etc.
     Of course, HUbby------->, thats him over there on the couch,  feels that I am being taken advantage of.  I try to keep the whole thing low key with him, but I find him just shaking his head in a disgusted manner.  I can understand that he would be a little skeptical after being ignored for 35 years. 
I even find it embarassing that I am doing all of this after being ignored for 35 years.  Even the nurses tell him how lucky he is to have a good sister.
      I dont want this thing to get bigger and be a problem between Hubby and me.  And I can't very well stop visiting and buying.  Talk about being stuck between  a rock and a hard place.

      Wow, I need and answer.

APRIL FOOLS DAY AND DR. DOWD

Hello Nice People

     Today is April 1, 2014.  April Fools Day.  Should AFD be capitalized?  Its not a holiday OR a holyday.  Its just something that someone, who knows who, started.  Why in April?  why not July, or January?   We need something to make us laugh in January.  Especially this past January.  It was a cold, long Winter.  I dont think its over yet. 

     I had a doctors apointment today withn Dr. Dowd.  She is the tiniest little person, good ole Dr. Dowd.  I dont think she weighs 80 pounds.  So, there I sit, on the examining table, all 280 pounds of me.  I feel like I am the Jolly Green Giant and she is the Lilliputin character from the fable that I forget the name of.  Dr Dowd has been my cardiologist for about 30 years.  In fact she said one time that I had been her patient so long that my file was the thickest one in the cabinet.  In other words, everyone that started way back with me.........is now dead.

     I am sure when I started, I was some what thinner.  I was never thin, but over the years, I have gained and lost and gained and lost AND gained and lost.  But now, that old nemisis. old age has set in.    You put the two together, weight and old age, and what you get is not good:  DIABETES!

      She is always so nice about my weight.  She never raises her voice or threatens me.  She never belittles me or gives me an ultimatum.  Maybe she should.  But she says that I am healthy, heartwise.  I guess all the meds she has me on are working.  I think they are what is keeping me alive.  But she and I both know that the weight is the root of my problems.  Like shortness of breath and DIABETES.
So on the way home,  I seriously thought about going back to WEIGHT WATCHERS.  God knows. I dont want to, but I am thinking about it.  So I will check out the new prices since the last time I failed at this diet thing.  Check out where they are located and sleep on it.  Decisions to come.