CAREGIVING: It has been over a week and a half since my last blurb and a lot has happened. A lot is the same too. Random falls and close calls. Design work and lots of laundry.
Last Monday Hope came to give Kathy her shower. We were waiting for a nurse from the same agency to come and create a “Care Plan” that Hope or the other aide would follow. The nurse was running late and the second aide called in sick, so Hope gave Kathy a sponge bath and got her dressed so that when the nurse did arrive it would be easier.
The nurse was OK; if a little caffeinated. Trying to ask Kathy questions; and not really knowing anything about her condition before hand. As I said in a previous post, I always assume no one knows. Because of the way referrals happen and the way HIPPAA privacy rules work, the caregiver or patient has to be the teacher. “Nope, that isn’t Parkinson’s. That’s Huntington’s Disease.” Hope and I went over a bunch of stuff with the nurse. Hope brought up getting more time for the showers because it may be hard to complete in one hour. They listed some of the things the aides could do; and could not do.
- Showers and sponge baths and helping her get dressed.
- Oral care. Brushing her teeth.
- Helping with transfers from wheelchair to couch to toilet etc.
- Helping in the bathroom with elimination and cleaning. Changing depends.
- Checking for pressure sores. Moving Kathy every two hours to prevent bed sores.
- Light housekeeping like vacuuming and making the bed or doing and sorting laundry.
- Keeping Kathy’s head elevated to help with her breathing and congestion.
- The aides can remind her to take medicine and I think they can get it ready, but they can not actually give it to the patient. They can’t trim finger or toe nails. They can massage, use emery boards, apply lotion but they can’t cut nails. Apparently it is a big deal because of diabetes.
She asked about communication problems and forgetfulness and I told her many days there are problems with all that. But the nurse kept on insisting that Kathy sign some forms. I told her I have a health care proxy and power of attorney, but she was worried she would have to come back and bother us again. So we got Kathy to sign it as best she could. It looked more like the readout on a seismograph during an earthquake; but the nurse was happy. By that time Hope had to leave for her next client. The nurse left a little while later and gave me the care plan to post on the refrigerator.
Tuesday I did a lot of design work and I put away groceries delivered by Peapod. It is expensive, but it saves time and stress. I thought a big check had arrived from a client but it was only for $60. On Wednesday, Hope came again and gave Kathy her full shower and stayed to keep her company. She showed Kathy pictures on her phone of her kids and pets while I worked upstairs. I did get to run down to the little store for a loaf of bread. I had planned to go to a bread outlet I like to go to but had too much work to get away.
Kathy is still having problems with congestion in her lungs, especially in the afternoon and evenings. And in the mornings, too – come to think about it. It is very common in Huntington’s Disease. I got her some generic Mucinex and I’ve encouraged Kathy to ‘cough it up’. Every once in a while she does but usually it is right after a meal and it is really from her stomach. Dilcia came on Thursday. She is gradually doing more personal care for Kathy. Helping her to and from the bathroom.
She was trying to get Kathy to cough up that stuff, too.
“Don’t keep swallowin‘ that stuff, girl! It’s not a meal!”
Kathy has an appointment with her doctor on the 14th to follow-up on her blood pressure and to find out about getting a new chair for her, So we’ll talk about the congestion and I’ll ask about a nebulizer and other stuff. On Friday I got the word that Greater Springfield Seniors approved the increased shower time for Kathy on all four mornings. That will start on the 14th also. The other aide that was supposed to come Friday and Saturday didn’t work out but they found another and she will be coming Saturday and Sunday mornings.