Day 230 (Amended)

Day 230 (Amended)

Thursday January 9 2014

I must be getting more fuzzy-brained than I realized!  I completely forgot to add that the nurse came Thursday!  She got here around mid morning, and was here maybe an hour or so.  It’s very flattering that she always says she feels relaxed here!

She gave DH the epo shot, took vitals.  His B/P was surprisingly high (160/?), as he’d already had the morning meds.  But she didn’t seem overly concerned.  She said his lungs don’t sound too bad and most of the wheezing is from sinus. 

She did notice the little bit of disorientation, and I told her how it’s been.  As always, she tells me it will get worse.

I asked her about using a patient lift, because getting him up and down is so very hard.  She said they can’t provide one because it takes 2 people to safely operate (I’ve seen one demonstrated – but not with a patient over 200 pounds!), and also she wasn’t sure I could safely operate it with my poor vision.  So, I’ll just have to keep on .. but there just have to be fewer ups and downs in a day!

The new satellite dish receiver came today (to replace the one in his room that I broke).  Hopefully on Sunday TGF will be able to set it up and he can watch TV in his room.  That will help him be more willing to stay in bed at times.  That just sounds mean … but the fact is, he’s either in bed or in his recliner; and the TV may be on, but he usually sleeps.  The nurse asked how much he sleeps .. thinking it over, I estimate 15 to 20 hours a day (not necessarily consecutive).  Some days more than that; very rarely less – maybe the days DSS is here.

I also asked what is the hospice position on a patient developing “side issues” .. for example, a hernia that is getting worse; and a newly developing possible skin cancer.  She said the basic nature of hosice dictates they do nothing unless the patient is in distress.  He is not.  So, we carry on.

And on and on and on and ……