Life with Dogs and Other Things

Life continues to be a little strange around my house. The mother situation isn't resolved yet and so many things seem to be up in the air in that respect. Dementia and severe mental illness don't mix. I get that my dad would like her home but if she won't take her medication when she is home, she can't stay. He wants her to stay at home but I don't think it is possible anymore. I honestly think that if she is "too high functioning" for memory care and assisted living would be a nightmare, there has to be a group home that could help her. I think that she does need to be somewhere where she can get the help she needs and aides that won't let her push people around. I made a mention that if she is in and out of the hospital and has now amped up her antics that land her in the hospital, she cannot safely stay at home any longer, it's time for professionals.

Since I live in a more rural area, there is more of an abundance of wildlife. The dogs that I have always had did chase squirrels and rabbits. Our black Lab did manage to get a very little baby bunny that wasn't even remotely ready to leave the nest. The thing was probably only a week old. But that was when she was 7 months old and she never caught one again after she was told no. She will still chase the squirrels and bunnies but doesn't catch them. Our chocolate Lab is different. It seems in the past couple months, things have ramped up. Instead of just chasing the rabbits and squirrels, she has now has been able to be some chipmunks and the young squirrels and somehow, they die and she isn't biting down or anything. I think that she is giving them heart attacks. I am currently looking into a trainer for her. I know that some of this is prey drive and it is natural behavior but it has to stop. I would rather her not get sick or hurt because she might tangle with things that are bigger and meaner. I don't care so much if she chases rabbits or squirrels, I would rather her not kill them.

Onto some better stuff. I finally got an approval to get a build up and a crown for the tooth that I recently had a root canal done. It was initially denied because Medicaid said it wasn't medically needed. I appealed that decision and they had one of their dentists look at everything and said that it was necessary, especially if I am getting partials. So they figured that it would be cheaper to pay for the crown than pay for all these adjustments or having to redo the whole partial bit due to more tooth loss. I am happy over that. What is making me happy is that since I have the go ahead to learn how to drive, I went and took the test to get my temps and passed the test. There are some questions on that test that are really tough. So now it is to find some driving lessons to get my license. That would mean that I would be able to maybe get a full time job with health benefits and make a little more money.