CAREGIVING: This is a story about how you think you have a plan, but a much simpler one is “stairing” you in the face. I have been paranoid about the combination of caregiving and winter in this house. Now that Kathy is bed-bound with Huntington’s Disease, keeping her warm and safe is another thing to worry about.
Just as a refresher, our house was built into the hill. The front entry is on the basement level, but the livable areas are on the upper two floors. Kathy’s hospital bed is in the living room: up one level. I had a stairlift installed in the cellar stairway. It would take her to the kitchen where I would lift her into her chair. My plan was to keep it for my later arthritic years and as a dumb-waiter for the trash and for groceries. But it meant that when the ambulance took her to hospital they had to go around the house and in the kitchen door. The stairway is too narrow with the lift in it. Her hospital stay was after Memorial Day. When winter comes, however …..
There are more ambulance rides in her future. Some will be planned: visits to the doctor or dentist. Some may, no doubt, be emergencies. I had my friend, Charlie level part of the brick walkway up to the kitchen and make it a little wider. It came out really nice. We figured out a ‘path’ in the yard that we could get an ambulance stretcher to the kitchen door. I figured I will buy a snow-blower to clear the walkway and the lawn and shovel the rest. I have never had a snow-blower.
When Susanne, one of Kathy’s visiting nurses was here I mentioned what I was worried about and what I was planning. She said to “Just take the lift out. Kathy will never be able to use it again. You can store it if you want to keep it. That was they can come up and down the stairs. They do that all the time.” So that is what I did. I decided that by the time I really need a lift I probably won’t be living here. A few days ago Barry Manchester, the guy I bought it from, came by and bought it back. It took about a half hour to remove it.
And then there is the issue of emergency heat: when the power goes out. Yesterday, I had a little reminder that we live in the trees. During the rain storm I slept through a tree falling next to the house. One of the branches landed near the barbecue although it will need a wee bit of kindling. I guess what I need is a combination snow blower-generator-wood chipper. One gas engine with three attachments.
That should do it.
