Mom has decided she's on a liquid diet until her constipation eases up. You can imagine my reaction to the logic of THAT, but the last time I tried to reason with her, she cried for half an hour.

I so suck as a caretaker. My aunt is of the opinion that it may be time to temporarily hand Mom over to the on-site nursing home if we can't get her to take her pills. I honestly think Mom may have palmed the Tylenol I gave her this morning, which is, by the way, the only painkiller she's allowed to take.

Bagel: sarameg -- good luck with the inspection. Take exhaustive notes -- I hope you get a guy who answers questions as he goes. The inspection on my not-large house took 3 hours, and for sure I knew exactly what I was getting when it was finished.

Good luck sara.

Prune juice a liquid that might help, yes. Also, is she allowed coffee? I feel for you Theo.

Theo - that's so hard. Lots of ~ma and patience to you.

Oh, Theo, how awful. You're a very good caretaker; your mom is just resisting all caretaking right now. You've been there, giving time and energy and all your best efforts to connect, to someone who's so very unhappy and struggling with it. You're a great caretaker; it's just a rotten situation.

(Also, what msbelle said about coffee [sorry, prune juice is what evil tastes like], and maybe apple juice too, especially if you heat it up.)

In their continuing rebranding efforts, the prune people have new "plum juice" products I have seen advertised....

So ridic. We tried to make plum jam once, since we had a surplus of lovely local plums. Forgetting that plums turn into prunes. Prune jam is nast.

And Theo, I'm so sorry about your mom. I feel for you since we did the caregiving thing with my grandmother and it had its equally painful moments. It's just hard, and it's an adjustment for you and for her.

No matter what else, make sure you look after yourself, too.

In their continuing rebranding efforts, the prune people have new "plum juice" products I have seen advertised....

I've seen prunes marketed as "dried plums." Doesn't make them taste any better.

My aunt has managed to talk my mom into eating small portions of solid stuff, at least, after I had a private phone brainstorm with her (my aunt). I'm off to get the OTC stuff that Mom promises to at least take, like the magnesium citrate and suppositories.

I'm glad there has been some ease, Theo.

I hope the inspection is going well, Sarameg!

My entire face hurts, and none of my sinus meds seem to be touching it.