CAREGIVING: Last week Kathy’s feeding tube started acting up. Well, actually it has been a gradual thing. A few months ago I noticed the purple plug end of the tubing (coming from the feeding bag) was slipping out of her stomach port. I fixed that by lightly roughing-up the plug of each bag with a little piece of sandpaper. It is just enough to grip it… Read more →
Category: Caregiving
Dodging a bullet
CAREGIVING: Sometimes it is hard to tell how things are going. I tend to write when things have levelled off rather than when there is a crisis. Things that would be a problem for someone else are things that I am used to in the ebb and flow of caregiving. The last few nights I was able to sleep in my bed… Read more →
Memorial Day
CAREGIVING: I guess it is time to get back to writing something. I have to admit I just haven’t had the energy to do much of anything extra. So, I needed a little break. Memorial Day was a true holiday for us. One obvious reason is that Hampden’s one and only parade passes a few feet from our house. The town… Read more →
All the news that isn’t
CAREGIVING: I haven’t had enough extra energy to write much lately. Too many projects and not enough time. Winter dragged on for so long that spring skipped us completely. Summer decided it couldn’t wait so every pollen producing plant in town bloomed on the same day. It is pretty though. The lilacs are out and the crab apple tree in front… Read more →
Turning the other cheek-
CAREGIVING: Kathy has had some setbacks lately. Separated by a few days of normal. Followed by a false alarm. I guess I forgot to knock on wood. Keeping it Down: Last weekend it was a stomach issue. She kept regurgitating her feeding formula; or her meds and water; or both. That is dangerous because it can go back down into the lungs… Read more →
Aides: Time on my hands
CAREGIVING: Our aide schedule is always in flux. Not in a bad way, though. We have some service hours coming to us that were promised months ago. Back in January Angela from Greater Springfield Seniors (GSSSI) came for a periodic review. She asked if I could use more hours to get out and take a break. They were going to be “companion” hours. The medical… Read more →
Shopping without buying
LIFE: Last Monday, which is known as 50% Off Chocolate Rabbits Day, I decided to run to Rite Aid Pharmacy. I didn’t have any prescriptions to pick up. But, they had some laundry detergent on sale and I wanted to see if there were any other eye drops or an eyewash I could get for Kathy. She was also getting low… Read more →