Kind of knew this was where we were headed

Mom-in-law is in the hospital. The psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse looked at her, spoke to her for about a minute, and they gently, yet firmly escorted her to the car and transported her to the hospital for immediate admission.

She's ill. In heart, mind and body. She's not thinking clearly because of the depression/malnutrition/insomnia. Nothing we say or try to do help her or get help TO her got through the filter of depression. She needs to be made well, and can't see past her anxiety and paranoia that we're or someone is out to get her. 

Of course, she didn't see it this way. When I arrived at the hospital, she loudly proclaimed her rights have been taken away, and she had been kidnapped.  I didn't laugh at her, but I did smile and tell her no, that she's ill, and she's somewhere to get her well again.

Wing is in a state. Blames himself. I checked that right away, asking him "Are you a mental health expert?" (no) "Could you get her medications and force her to take them?" (no) "Horse... water. Get it now?"  (yes)

It's not going to be easy. but at least we won't be watching her passively committing suicide by not taking care of herself anymore.

Meeting with the Chung Wah

Might have a spot of hope on the Mother In Law, An.  We arranged a meeting with Chung Wah Association to arrange a carer for An.  We had a lot of arguments of the passive variety.  So far, there has been a weekly shopping trip, and transport to her next doctor's appointment.   We've done a bit of an end run around her, as she is afraid of any expense, and have told CWA to bill us directly, and to not mention anything about the rates to An.

Have arranged for Mark, from Hire a Hubby, to make a small alteration to her cat enclosure, to make things a bit easier. I think the enclosure was supposed to be some sort of Zen garden, and a cat sanctuary, but it turned into a 20x20ft litter box. Well, going to block off a small section with some hinged panels, put some bricks over some of the sand and put a litter box in there for Yin to use. We will have to introduce An to the wonders of clumping cat litter.  Also, she isn't going to see that bill either.

I know she wants some control in her life, but since she's having trouble making decisions, and when she does make decisions, they're downright dangerous, we need to step up and give her a hand up.

Got the proof we needed

We thought Ziggy was opening the door, and even saw the after effects of her doing it. But this time I cold busted her.



I knew persistence would pay off, and I would get photos of her doing this. If I didn't have the door latched up higher (which she then stretched and tried to reach THAT) she would have pulled the door open and snuck out.

I think we have to do something a bit more drastic

After hearing what's been happening when Wing  goes to visit An, with Alan going along, the more we are thinking she's got dementia and is irrational.

1: She says hot water system, newly installed because she said the other one wasn't working, is also faulty. Wing turns on the water, waits until it gets warm, uses appropriate amount of cold water to prevent scalding. Water stays consistently warm. When he points this out to her, she said no, it's faulty, and 'proves it' by shutting off the cold water, thereby having nothing by scalding hot water coming out. "See, the temperature changes".  Neither Wing or Alan telling her that's normal if you turn off the cold water matters one iota.

2: Claims medication for depression gave her diarrhea. Turns out she's pouring fresh milk into smaller old milk container, topping it up, because the smaller container is easier to handle. Bets? Of course, now she is refusing to take anything for her depression, which is making her OCD/insomnia/memory problems accelerate.

3: Claims plumbing leaks. When you shut off water in the kitchen, the pressure forced two, count them, two drops of water left in the pipes to drip from bathroom tap.

4: On the advise of a 'friend' (we want to have words with this friend.. so rather harsh ones) she keeps saying she wants to Euthanize the cat. But thinks all this means is the cat will nap more often, cannot get her head around the fact that this means the cat will be dead.

5: Is now saying anything we do for her will give her a heart attack.

6: Thinks we're 'out to get her'.

We might end up having to put her in a constant care facility, one that will make her take her medication, make sure she eats, and prevents her from OCD cleaning a 2 story house from top to bottom for 12+ hours every day, for a couple of months. She can't keep going on like this, and neither can Wing. We aren't equipped to handle someone who is mentally ill due to depression. But we love her and want to get her as well as humanly possible.

Yeah, right, but all I care about it myself and want her turfed out and alone. (can't tell you how much I cried privately when I heard that's what she really thought of me)

Well, wasn't that 'special'

Wing  and I have been doing every and anything we can do to make his mom, An, safe, happy and living well.  She has depression, anxiety, OCD, and she is anorexic. Also, her hypochondria is in full swing, adding to her delightful attitude.  Everything we have tried to do for her, or arrange to have done, she says no. No, no, no no no.

Well, she crossed a line tonight. I've always known she didn't 'approve' of her son's choice of wife, but hey, I can deal with that. But tonight, she let her true feelings out. She pretty much thinks I'm a gold digger after her money. Uhh, sorry, no. I've been four square in favor of her selling off a block of land and getting a custom built house for her, one designed to her needs and specifications. She keeps going on and on about how she wants to leave us (Wing) a legacy, but both he and I say we don't want it.

I told Wing that I want nothing to do with her. I've been dragged down that black path, totally mindf**ked by someone else with depression who refused to have anything done about it, and I refuse to do it again. I will be there for him, to support and care for him, but no, not her. Not until she gets better.

Well, that's a spot of good news

As I posted earlier, my Canon 5DMkIII was having dust/dirt building up in the viewfinder after I sent the camera off to have a battery draining problem fixed, because of Canon Repair fixing a 'light leak' problem, that I had nary an issue with.

I sent Canon an email, and one of their reps called me, and told me they would review the problem and my comments, which I took to mean "Suck it up, we're going to charge you some more."

I was wrong. Both the focus screen and prism have been replaced, and I haven't been billed for it. I guess I was right as to how the dust was finding it's way in.

It's alive... IT'S ALIVE..

Or at least running the way I want it.

Figured out the "windows explorer crashing when copying and pasting" on my own. My ability to troubleshoot, research, try different things, and then and only then open a support request is why even though I give them all the information, even step by step what I've already done, I'm treated like a know nothing.

So, I fixed the problem. Then I found a Windows 8 Aero Tweak tool that works (still in beta, so I get a nag screen every once in a while, but have told the programmer I wouldn't have a problem buying it when it comes out commercially, as long as the nag screen goes away).

Made the touch pad a little less sensitive. No more moving cursor but accidentally moving oxygen molecules over it.

Still no BSODs after the Windows welcome screen anymore. I still believe that even though the laptop was sold with Windows 7 installed, it was built for Windows 8. I wonder how many other Sony Vaios have been having a lot of BSODs at welcome screen?