LIFE: The last few days have been interesting. Nothing bad happened and Kathy is actually doing pretty well considering she is in hospice. She is still able to let me know if she is comfortable; or not. Wet or not. She can open wide. And stick out her tongue for me to clean it. She has had a recurring bloodshot eye that… Read more →
Tag: PEG
H is for hospice (and hump day)
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 →
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 →
Emergency Planning
CAREGIVING: We are expecting a snow storm for Thanksgiving. I’ve given emergency planning a lot of thought lately. I thought it might be useful to think out loud about it: What to do with a bed-bound Huntington’s patient during an emergency. Getting Advice The biggest worry I have during the winter is a power outage. Without power there will be no heat, no water… Read more →
Friday: I can’t complain
LIFE & CAREGIVING: Today, was one of those days. But I can’t complain. The clothes dryer died: I suppose it was due. We bought it in 1994. So, I can’t complain. I ran to the Depot and bought the same basic Whirlpool we had. Looks more streamlined, but it is the same basic box. Made in the USA, of all places. Unfortunately, they can’t deliver… Read more →
Feeding Tube: Fixing the Plumbing
CAREGIVING: Kathy has had her PEG tube (feeding tube) since early June. You can read about the decision to put it in; and the ethics to use one elsewhere in the blog. For the most part it works pretty well; except when it doesn’t. It is leaking at the fitting where everything gets pumped in. At one point I worried that the… Read more →
Busy Friday
CAREGIVING: Friday was a busy day. It was Whitney’s first day back from her Arizona baseball vacation. Her father’s team played in a senior baseball tournament. Apparently, the coach left one pitcher in too long (11 walks) and they missed getting into the playoffs by one run. But, she had a lot of fun. As she was leaving Britney arrived to… Read more →