Caregiving and Taking

To protect the innocent, lets say I have accepted an elderly gentleman  into my home to take care of them. Maybe their name is Frank.  Or Benny.  Wait, I just thought of their bloggy name to protect the innocent.  Their name shall be iCant.  You see, iCant is really much stronger than he thinks he is but he has been shipped around to various hospitals and institution type places for half a year and has lost the ability for his brain to function and do things for himself.  iCant stood up all by himself about 3 times today.  Well done.

I just tucked iCant into bed for the night (after changing the 3rd or 4th diaper today).  I gave iCant a call button (just like a real hospital) because I HATE having to have my phone set to ring.  Silence forever and ever.  I just layed down in bed to peruse the inter web and celebrate the fact that my kids start preschool tomorrow and I hear ding dong.  iCant had to call me to ask if I gave him his long acting insulin.  Of course, I did because I am the BNE (Best Nurse Ever) and I have a check list and if you know me I am a PCF (Professional Checklist Follower).  The check list clearly shows a check mark in the long acting insulin box.  iCant can't see anymore though and iCant has a lovely lady friend that has started to lose her memory some...perhaps her short term memory...I am not quite sure.  Anyways, we got that settled for now.

I would like to state that being a caregiver is hard. Really hard.   I never knew?!?!  All these people that take sickly into their house it becomes their whole life.  I just blocked that out my whole life. But I mean I guess $80k a year in a place where they just treat you "just ok" and you will suffer from infections your whole life is not a better alternative at this point in life.

The diaper changes aren't hard.  I mean at first they are, then you get some skills.  And holy cows it is hard to find the right diapers at the stores.  Amazon or nothing now. The daily tasks are under control.  Maybe 45 minutes of medical care in the AM and 45 minutes of medical care in the PM.  It is just the ongoing help.  Turn them every 2 hours, clean the dentures, reach this, change the clothes, give the food.  It is like having a newborn that you can't lift that can argue with you about how they can't.

And now, the reason I am writing this post, to confess my guilt.  One nurse told me I can let iCant sleep all night without turning him every 2 hours.  Our assigned nurse told me I must turn him every 2 hours or his pressure sores will get worse.  All night.  She was like you don't have to make a big deal.  Just shift him.  Raise or lower the bed.  Umm ok lady. I am not one of those go right back to sleep people and if I show up down there I am going to get a request of needs/wants. Well, 2 nights ago I turned off my alarm and I slept and it was wonderful and his sores didn't immediately show up and I will never turn that alarm on again until a pressure sore reappears.  iCant's lady friend is helping out with this...I don't want to take all of the credit for the care. She is doing great for someone with memory problems.  Fo Realz.  Anyways, now that I got that off my chest, I am going to sleep until I hear ding-dong.  Perhaps my next post will be more positive.  iCant is able to do more every day.  Maybe we can give iCant a kinder name next week....like John, or Rick, or MaybeProbablyICouldTry?