CAREGIVING: The roller-coaster of care-giving continues on its merry way. I put off posting because Kathy was going to start getting hospice services a week or two ago. At least I thought so. I want Kathy to be comfortable. Apparently, they need to have a prognosis of six months before you start hospice. My guess is that it has something to do with money: insurance or MediCare. If you… Read more →
Category: Caregiving
Another visit to the ER
CAREGIVING: Friday started out pretty normal. We ended up making a trip to the hospital for a new feeding tube. Normal means I got to run out and buy Marty some dog food down at Brown’s, our local dog and feed store. Normal means on the way home I got a call from home that aide #2 had not arrived… Read more →
The Latest: Food, trees, toes etc.
CAREGIVING: It hasn’t snowed enough to use used but new-to-me snow blower, but we received a very pretty dusting of snow. I bought a dwarf Alberta Spruce at Lowes to use as our Christmas tree. My modest goal is to not kill it. In the back of my head I was thinking that I could plant it near Kathy’s grave. Neither of us is… Read more →
Updates on the follow-ups
CAREGIVING: After Kathy’s appointment with Dr. Jackson a lot of ‘stuff’ has started happening. Or not, depending on how you look at it. A referral call was made to Baystate Hospice. The nurse left a message and was going to come over to do the intake. I called her back and told her that we were requesting palliative care, first. Also I told her,… Read more →
the Followup Visit and other news
CAREGIVING: Yesterday was Kathy’s followup visit with Dr. Jackson, her new primary doctor at Riverbend. The ambulance guys arrived on time. It was drizzling a little. I guess the ambulances are all equipped differently. This one used a tiny “stair chair” that looked more like an uncomfortable beach chair than medical equipment. It was similar to this blue one except I… Read more →
S is for Social Security
CAREGIVING: Kathy has her second appointment with Doctor Jackson tomorrow afternoon. I confirmed the appointment and the ambulance arrival time. It is supposed to be reasonably mild out for December but it might be drizzling. I am hoping that she will be more alert this time but it is always a crap shoot. Maybe an injection of coffee is in order. I… Read more →
Thanksgiving and other news
LIFE: Happy Black Friday. Saturday and Sunday! We survived the overhyped snowstorm on Wednesday and Thanksgiving was a fairly normal day. Betsy, our daytime aide, had the holiday off, but Pat came and got Kathy ready for bed. I shovelled as much as I could without killing myself. I need to keep the little parking area as clear as I can… Read more →