Could it be that our noses run more as we get older?
It all started when we noticed mom constantly getting up in the middle of dinner to get a tissue for her nose. Mom's trash cans were constantly filled to the brim with used tissues. Her day care even asked us to contribute a box of facial tissues every so many months. We finally decided to buy a case of facial tissues from Sam's Club and donate it to the day care which they really appreciated.
So then I thought....I often use toilet paper tissues to blow my nose (it's cheaper)... so why not mom?
I put rolls of toilet paper in her room and explained how she could use it. Mom has Alzheimers so she couldn't remember what I told her and she still complained that her "Kleenex" boxes were empty again.
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A couple of decades ago, Art visited our son in Mali when Keola was serving in the Peace Corps. He brought back 3 of these plastic bowls along with other souvenirs.
Ummm... we haven't used them for much of anything.
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Anyway... I had a third thought.
What if I put the toilet paper in the pretty bowls?
It worked like a charm. Whenever she got up to get some facial tissues in another room while eating dinner, we pointed to the toilet roll in the African bowl which I put in front of her table setting. Eventually, she became perfectly content to use the toilet tissues to quickly wipe her nose.
Life now is a constant adjustment. Art laughs and says we are providing her with quality day care. We wash and iron her clothes, cook her favorite soft foods, give her daily baths, dispense her medications, take her on walks during the weekends, send her for socialization at day care during the weekdays, take her to the doctors, etc.
Hmmm... I wonder if it's almost time for us to donate another case of facial tissues to the day care.
POSTSCRIPT:
This is for Rian: Thank you for your comment about the difference in cost. I guess, you also take into account that you are using a bigger tissue compared to smaller squares of toilet paper to wipe your nose. Anyway, I thought I'd check the cost.
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We happened to buy facial tissues to donate to the day care for mom and toilet paper for us because they were on sale at Costco and Sam's Club.
So the 12 small cube boxes of Kleenex facial tissues (85 total tissue count) were regular $21.99-$5.00 off which left us with a total of $16.99 to pay.
The 32 rolls of toilet paper was $27.48- $4.00 off which was $23.48.
And believe me, the toilet paper lasts a long time.
And as for caring whether someone will see them? The only people who would see this is family and they truly understand and don't care. It also makes for less trash going out of our house each week. 😄
'The child is father to the man' becomes increasingly true. You and Art are doing a fantastic job.
ReplyDeleteYou are a mind reader! I was just thinking this morning that I have to blow my nose more as I am aging! We now buy Kroger tissues instead of Kleenex. This was my idea to save a bit of money. I have a memory from school. We never had Kleenex tissues at home, I would keep a small amount of rolled up toilet paper in my purse if I sneezed at school. One day, a fellow student had a very runny nose and was sniffing very loudly. I took that paper out of my purse and offered it to him. He took one look at it and said, "This isn't a Kleenex, it's just toilet paper!". I wanted to say beggars can't be choosers. I said nothing, just turned red with embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteDaughter2 has one of those noses so often uses tp, but I don't think Sue would approve of having tp here and there no matter how pretty the container.
ReplyDeleteYour mom is very lucky to have you and Art.
ReplyDeleteYou are a good daughter for sure. I have been there, doing all of that and am now contemplating losing it myself and having the kids minding me. As for the nasal drip. Yes, very common in old age. My Mother-in-law carried a box of tissues everywhere with her and I have to check every pocket in the washing pile before it goes into the machine or I have shredded tissues to pick out of the clothes. And, yeah, toilet paper is cheaper and works well. Good call on the bowls; I may borrow that.
ReplyDeleteYou are a wonderful caregiver. My MIL used to keep hankies and tissues up her sleeves and sneak them out as if no one would notice. How funny that was.
ReplyDeleteKay, I have a box of tissue in every room as my nose runs constantly these days. I too think it's an old age thing. I buy Puff's Ultra soft as I think it's a little cheaper than Kleenex... but tp is pretty expensive these days too... but I've never compared them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the postscript, Kay. We don't belong to Costco or Sam's - but I will check out the difference between tp and tissue more thoroughly next time we shop. And I do usually buy the small squares, not the larger rectangular boxes. I don't have any qualms about using toilet paper (Charmin) around the house... if it saves money. And I don't find that any tissue cleans my glasses well. I started buying something called Zeiss AntiFog Wipes since my glasses fog up with masks and they work wonderfully.
DeleteYou take excellent care of her! My mom's nose does the same and we both use TP or sometimes, depending on where we are, a napkin. I have a cold which is my excuse for wiping/blowing my nose a lot!
ReplyDeleteIf I'm in the bathroom, sometimes I will pull off a bit of toilet paper to blot my lipstick or wipe my nose, but the idea of rolls of toilet paper sitting all over the house gives me the creeps. I only keep tissues in the bathroom when we are well, but often take a box into another room if we have the sniffles. I carry pocket sized packages of tissue in my bags when out and about. I certainly wouldn't put a roll of toilet paper in my purse.
ReplyDeleteYou are wonderful caregivers to your mother. It's great that Art can laugh about it, quite remarkabke actually.
ReplyDeleteWhen I do get a runny nose, my go to is my toilet paper. I bring a roll onto my bed so I have it there at night. And when I don't need it for my nose anymore, I use it for my you-know-what.
ReplyDeleteNot sure why our noses drool as we get older. I get cases of the rectangle shape of tissue boxes at Sam's. They're cheaper than the cube style. Sometimes I have to really hunt for them though. I have a box in every room. As a newlywed on a tight budget, we never bought tissue, just toilet paper for our noses. I don't use Puffs or tissues with lotions because they cause smears if you try to clean your eyeglasses lenses with glasses cleaner spray and Puffs. The plain tissues are cheaper too than Puffs around here. That's nice of you to send tissues to day care. The boxed kind are healthier at a group location, so that only one hand is grabbing a tissue instead of one hand picking up the roll, and the other hand pulling off what's needed.
ReplyDelete(Kinda funny frugal story: I helped one elderly vet patient get to the hospital bathroom. He used ONE tiny square to wipe his tush...ONE square at a time. He declined help from me, and it took several minutes to get his task done. I couldn't imagine how much of a luxury toilet paper must've been in his life. Might have started with corn cobs and catalog pages.) Linda in Kansas, 3" nice snow so far.
Kay of Musings: I did buy the rectangular shaped ones the last time I donated to the day care too.
DeleteJust ONE square? Oh goodness! Uuummm… You’d have to get good quality, strong toilet paper to be able to do that.🥴
My daughter wrote to say they got just a little bitty snowfall in her area. She was working from home just in case though.
We are in our late 60's and have resorted to buying tissue by the case too. I have no qualms about using toilet paper if necessary.
ReplyDeleteYou take excellent care of your mom.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I've had the same box of Kleenex in my apartment for three years. It's for company. I use TP or cloth handkerchiefs.
ReplyDeleteI really love how you and Art work out solutions together as your Mom's situation declines. You really are doing a marvelous job at a very difficult time. Hugs to you all.
ReplyDeleteThose prices are nuts and in American dollars too. I have allergies so I'm constantly blowing or wiping my nose.
ReplyDeleteMy husband frequently has a drippy nose and also used a lot of Kleenex. He decided to remove the cardboard tube from the center of a roll of toilet paper and reach into that space and start pulling the toilet paper through the center. He then put the roll in an empty Kleenex box which he had opened from the bottom, taped it shut, and made his own personal style toilet paper tissue dispenser.. We once hosted his uncle and aunt, cousin, and her two children for several days. As a thank you gift, his uncle, who was excellent at crafting wood furniture, made us a box to fit a roll of toilet paper. It has a hinged lid and a hole on top for pulling out the paper. It sits on my husband's desk as a tissue dispenser. Those little square boxes of facial tissues cost a fortune!
ReplyDeleteI saw the title of your post in Ed's sidebar, so I popped over for a look. This is a great idea!! I just wanted to make sure you weren't using the TP that is on the roll in the bathroom. "They" say you should never use them on your face/nose since they are germy from their location.
ReplyDeleteGood work! And research. It makes a lot of sense. Personally, I use hankies. They are getting more difficult to buy, but I like the idea.
ReplyDeleteAnother something to "look forward to" as I get older. When my grandparents were alive, I was constantly amazed at the quantity of kleenex in their trash cans whenever I went to throw something away.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteMy kleenex seems to last forever. Just finished a box today that I'd started when i moved into my apartment last summer.
ReplyDelete