Tonight's picture was taken in March of 2009. Mattie was in the middle of the pediatric unit hallway and doing physical therapy! No session was without an entourage. In the photo was Anna (PT), Denise (social worker), and Linda (child life specialist). Next to Mattie, bent over and racing him was Meg (child life intern). We met Meg in the outpatient clinic one day. Mattie took to her right away, because Meg is bold, energetic, and witty. She could keep up with him and he liked the challenge. One day during a physical therapy session, Mattie wasn't interested in participating at all. Meg decided to egg Mattie on and started to compete with him to take steps. That was all Mattie needed and he was eager to race! In fact, Meg and Mattie created physical therapy Olympics on the 5th floor of the hospital. Yes it also included winning medals!
Quote of the day: The human capacity for burden is like bamboo – far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance. ~ Jodi Picoult,
I had a horrible night of sleep. I believe I am coming down with another sinus infection. I am drowning in fluid and miserable. But I have no down time to heal. I dragged myself out of bed this morning and got myself together, made breakfast, and then dealt with my dad's routine.
My dad had two visitors today, his occupational therapist and a new nurse. Fortunately the nurse I had last week isn't coming back. We were a bad match for each other. Yesterday and today I gave my dad Senokot. I learned from 2020, that my dad can get an impacted colon very easily, so if he doesn't have a bowel moment by day three, I am intervening. What I have noticed since my dad has gotten home from the hospital, is that he is now incontinent. I spent a good portion of today changing him almost on the hour. Of course being on a diuretic for his blood pressure and swelling is not helping. Fortunately we see the cardiologist on Thursday and I am hoping we can get some guidance. Naturally I can't determine if the incontinence is from living in the hospital for two weeks, where my dad's bathroom needs were not met immediately like I do, whether it is a reaction to being on a diuretic, or simply part of his dementia decline.
My dad's in-home physical and occupational therapists, people who worked with him prior to hospitalization, have both commented on my dad's decline and weakness since they saw him last. They notice a big difference in him, so much so that the occupational therapist asked me today.... how long can you keep this up? She can see what I am balancing on any given day and believes (as I know) that my dad's situation is not going to be improving. In fact since he has moved to Virginia, he has been on a steep decline. Which is why the therapist mentioned that I may not have a choice, that my dad may need an institution to care for him. She knows that I am trying to avoid this, but seeing my daily dysfunction through someone else's eyes was interesting.
Meanwhile, my mom isn't feeling well either. She is trying to recover from a lung infection flare up. Yet she can't get much sleep at night, because my dad is up and down running to the bathroom. Because he is incontinent, my mom has to also change his pads and meet his other demands. Specifically his back is still itching from the allergic reaction to the adhesives from pressure sore pads. Though his back is healing, it isn't 100% and the only thing that eases the itch is putting on this noxious cream the hospital gave us. I comply, but its smell is sickening to me. Needless to say, I had my mom relax today in another room on the first floor. Away from my dad and away from people coming in and out today for my dad. I realize my mom needs a lot of rest to recover and rest is not something anyone of us gets in our house.
No comments:
Post a Comment