I can roll over 120 hours of leave time, but I never manage to use my excess down to that (except in years I had to take time off for clinical depression).

Ugh, why is it so hard to get good comfortable walking flats?? The ones I currently have that are the best are years old and totally worn down. I keep trying to replace them, and shoes that feel fine in the store do not hold up to walking a mile! I'm seriously about to get rid of three pairs of newish black flats that I am just giving up on. Annoying!!

I am quite fond of Crocs. Many of the nurses that I work with live in them because they are on their feet all day too. [link]

Cool. It looks like Rouge One will be available for rental this month. I almost saw it when it was in theaters, but it didn't work out. It's a little disturbing that the trailers seem to glorify the terrorists, but I think it will still be a fun movie.

That's a bummer, sarameg.

Good luck quester. I have no advice, but wish you well with all that.

Shoes, so many levels of possible comfort, so few actually good for walking.

oh, hey, my sweater's on backwards. Shoulda stood in bed.

Why would standing in bed change that?

You stand on your bed, you hit your head on the ceiling. Your head hurts, so you lie back down and don't bother getting dressed. Hence no sweater mishaps.

That makes sense.

I'm becoming less concerned about the Trump administration. I'm starting to feel like they are too incompetent to establish a pseudo-dictatorship.

Tim's dad had to go to a rehab facility (as in, skilled medical care, NOT drug rehab!) this week, which is stressful but turning out to be a blessing in disguise.

He's almost 80, so like a lot of men that age, he's supposed to take medication daily to make sure he can keep peeing. But he also doesn't have any other chronic health conditions that require meds, and he hates taking meds, and he has dementia, so he forgets (or "forgets", or a little of both) to take this important help-you-keep-peeing medication.

You can see where this is going.

He indeed stopped peeing, so SiL took him to the ER Wednesday, where they took care of the immediate issue, but then he has to have a catheter for at least a week. He can't go back home that way -- going home was an option, but he lives alone and wouldn't be able to deal with this by himself.

So he's in a rehab facility at least until the catheter is removed. But he's getting a full medical assessment, which is turning up some stuff that his primary care doctor has missed or ignored, like a big ol' hernia. (I don't blame the primary care doctor for missing that one -- Jack never mentioned any abdominal issues, and the only reason the hernia got noticed was noticed is because Tim helped his dad change his shirt Wednesday night, and Tim saw this GIANT bulge in his abdomen, yikes.)

So his health is a little worse than anyone thought, but being in the rehab facility means he's getting fully evaluated. He's also having PT and OT sessions, which are really helpful because he's a little wobbly on his feet and gets zero exercise. And he's getting healthier meals that he eats at home.

But the big question is what happens after the catheter is removed. Does he go home, or into assisted living? He REALLY wants to go home. Assisted living would be much better for him. Also safer. And so Tim and his brothers are really wrestling with what to do next. It's pretty stressful for them, because they want to respect their dad's wishes but they also recognize that living alone, in the condition that he's in, is not good for him, and is verging on dangerous.

I feel like there are only 2 options: (1) straight into assisted living, or (2) going back home for a period with a non-negotiable move-to-assisted living date, which would give Jack and all 3 sons time to tour some assisted living facilities and choose one, rather than just jump at whatever facility has an opening next week. But if he goes home, the other non-negotiable thing has to be WAY more home health care and other services (like meal delivery). He refused all that a year ago, but he clearly needs more care right now.

I think this will all work out in the end, but it was unexpected, so there's a lot of stress going on. Mostly for Tim and his brothers, but I'm trying to figure out what kind of support Tim needs, and that can be hard because he gets all stoic and non-communicative. So I just make food and then call my SiL, who totally understands the Beckmeyer non-communicativeness in the face of stress.

Getting old BLOWS, yo.