How often do you visit the U.K
Jan 9th 2014, 3:51 pm
#107
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Dancing round my handbag
Posts: 2,673
Re: How often do you visit the U.K
My mam does similar math with her friends when they say it must be hard not seeing much of us. Unfortunately there comes a point where a) they can't travel so easily (we passed that point last year) and b) they need more short but frequent interaction/assistance than is possible for us to give from here. Not sure where go for here...we are toying with a few years back in the UK, which has certain attractions, but the main downside is the potential disruption to the kids education. I know a lot of folk do it, and they will do fine, but it's the main hurdle we keep coming back to...
Jan 9th 2014, 6:33 pm
#109
Northern Monkey!
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 530
Re: How often do you visit the U.K
I sadly have not been able to make it back since i moved here over 8 years ago :-( . It has been a mixture of no paid time off and the lack of funds (which of course would be further impacted by my lack of pay whilst not working!). My wife and daughter (then 18 months old, and therefor flew very cheaply) went for a trip over there for 6 weeks in 2013. She got to see my dad (he has managed 3 trips here since my move which is good, he has health issues, and finally got to meet my daughter) and my brothers, she even managed to meet some old friends of mine for the first time! My wife enjoyed it, but was sad that i couldn't join her. The roles have been reversed this year. One of my brothers is getting married in June, so it looks like i will be making the trip on my own (couldn't justify / afford the cost of flights for all three of us) and am planning a week - 10 days. Of course everyone wants me to go visiting so i think it will feel nothing like a vacation!! Hopefully one year me and my whole family will be able to visit for a decent amount of time, and all together!! My Mum has emigrated to NZ so there is another destination (and even more expense!!) to try and figure in at some point in the future. My Mum is semi-retired and usually comes over annually for 4-6 weeks, so we all get to spend some quality time together, which make me feel less guilty about not being able to visit her. Bring back $99 flights i say!!
Last edited by jibsymalone; Jan 9th 2014 at 6:37 pm.
Jan 9th 2014, 6:33 pm
#110
GC Holder
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 52
Re: How often do you visit the U.K
All the time 
Jan 9th 2014, 9:53 pm
#111
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Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: How often do you visit the U.K
Well, she got over her "turn" before Christmas, but is showing her age (80) and is getting very confused about everything, especially her pills, which we suspect was the cause of her problems. Sisters both live very close to her (within a mile) so see her very regularly, but they have now sorted a roster for one or other to visit early each morning to make sure she takes her pills. We've also sorted one of those alarm buttons for her, but whether she will wear it religiously or not is another question. It's not long before we'll have to be having the "not a good idea to live on your own " chat. But not quite there yet.
Thanks for asking!
Thanks for asking!
Jan 9th 2014, 10:17 pm
#112
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: How often do you visit the U.K
Well, she got over her "turn" before Christmas, but is showing her age (80) and is getting very confused about everything, especially her pills, which we suspect was the cause of her problems. Sisters both live very close to her (within a mile) so see her very regularly, but they have now sorted a roster for one or other to visit early each morning to make sure she takes her pills. We've also sorted one of those alarm buttons for her, but whether she will wear it religiously or not is another question. It's not long before we'll have to be having the "not a good idea to live on your own " chat. But not quite there yet.
Thanks for asking!
Thanks for asking!
Jan 9th 2014, 11:56 pm
#113
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Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: How often do you visit the U.K
You can arrange for the NHS to have her prescriptions put into 3 or 4 containers per day....a bit like the 7 day pill boxes you can buy. Each container is sealed...so there is no chance of over medicating by mistake and you can easily see if you've forgotten to take the meds.
hence the morning visits from sisters....
Jan 10th 2014, 9:11 am
#114
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Dancing round my handbag
Posts: 2,673
Re: How often do you visit the U.K
Yes, We booked that for her next round of meds that should have started this week. In the interim, I gave her my box with 7 compartments in. I use it for my daily meds, as I have to take them when I first wake up, and I'm so crap on a morning before I have my first coffee that I found I was forgetting, or was I...and I'm a lot younger than my mam! So I gave her the box, but after watching a few mornings, I'm not convinced it was going to work...I had to stand over her and make sure she took them. One morning I watched her take them, then get the box out of the cupboard and try to take them again hence the morning visits from sisters....
hence the morning visits from sisters....We've tried everything we can think of to help my mother's pill taking. She won't put them into compartments because "I have to do it my way" which is sometimes forgetting to take them and sometimes taking them twice. She always remembers the morning pills but she has to take them at set times in the evening and those are the ones that cause the trouble. My sister put an alarm on her iPad which my mother now shouts at every time it goes off "Alright, I'm coming" or "I haven't forgotten". At least it's not one of us she's yelling at!
Jan 10th 2014, 11:14 am
#115
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Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: How often do you visit the U.K
I'm glad to hear it was a 'turn' and not worse. Great idea having the meds come from the NHS already divided up and good that your sisters can check on her in the mornings.
We've tried everything we can think of to help my mother's pill taking. She won't put them into compartments because "I have to do it my way" which is sometimes forgetting to take them and sometimes taking them twice. She always remembers the morning pills but she has to take them at set times in the evening and those are the ones that cause the trouble. My sister put an alarm on her iPad which my mother now shouts at every time it goes off "Alright, I'm coming" or "I haven't forgotten". At least it's not one of us she's yelling at!
We've tried everything we can think of to help my mother's pill taking. She won't put them into compartments because "I have to do it my way" which is sometimes forgetting to take them and sometimes taking them twice. She always remembers the morning pills but she has to take them at set times in the evening and those are the ones that cause the trouble. My sister put an alarm on her iPad which my mother now shouts at every time it goes off "Alright, I'm coming" or "I haven't forgotten". At least it's not one of us she's yelling at!
