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Christmas craft sale and bazaar season is here with a vengeance, three (that I know of) in our little town this weekend including at mom's nursing home. When I asked who donated all the pies I discovered that they were made by out activities staff in a marathon 2 day baking session. Gee, those pies don't look so tempting any more 😲
But seriously? When you consider their wages and the cost of materials does this really bring in enough money to justify the cost?
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Cwillie, only if there were happy pills baked in the pies : )
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CountryMouse...On Easter,Mother always made me a new bunny dress to wear to church and Easter was just as big as Christmas at our house,only there were even more bunnies out.
I always loved bunnies and Mother believed that everyone should collect something,so that's what I decided I'd collect when I was 5.Now,50 years later+,I have rabbits all over the house.In the ktchen,in the john,everywhere.
One year,when I was around 10,I made a display of the bunnies and entered it in the fair and won 1st place.
I also raised MANY rabbits through the years up until I had a male bunny break into 2 females cages in the middle of winter and I had baby bunnies everywhere and It was so cold and I had to bring them inside and I ruined my Uncle's hardwood floor in the housewe were renting from him with rabbit urine and my dH hd to pay over a thousand dollars to repair it and since then I have'n't had any more real rabbits.
I don't know if all the rabbit dresses and costumes are worth any money,but they're all in the attic hanging there Send,along with all the other stuff Mom saved.It's a whole "other" world up there.
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"You're no bunny unless some bunny loves you" - I had a lovely birthday card with this on it a few years back, I'll see if I can dig up the name of the illustrator...

But on the other hand it is possible to have enough rabbits in your house, you know!
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Some brainiac took away mom's pillow and put a towel behind her neck instead - when I found her she was slumped to the side with her head bent forward looking very uncomfortable
An hour later, CNA comes around with oxygen - why does she need that?
Oh, her 02 sat is low
wouldn't it be easier to reposition her so she could breathe easier?

Although she is to be discharged tomorrow, the Viking is not up to pinching
Choked this morning when they gave her meds in apple sauce and had to be suctioned
she doesn't seem to be sleeping peacefully and is mumbling while asleep

I'm dreading tomorrow and moving her to the SNF
I need to go into work as I missed a deadline from being out a couple of days
While the hospital doctor thinks she can return to hoca after 14 days of iv antibiotics, hoca doesn't do palliative care only hospice
Now there's bed hold and notice requirements to think about and still no sign of F&F
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MsMadge, I’m so sorry you are dealing with sepsis. Your poor mom. I hope your mom is feeling better soon and you can have her returned to hoca. How long would your mom have to stay in a SNF? Sending hugs your way, try to get rest yourself too.
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MsMadge, when my mom's govt caregiver came to give her a bed bath (not sponge bath), they would take away her pillows. Roll the towel and put it under her neck. I thought it was very uncomfortable looking. They would use a 13gal plastic bag, put it between her head and the bed, and then shampoo her hair. They use baby shampoo. Then they pour water on her head/hair, and the water would drain down into the plastic bag. Once in a blue moon, they would forget to take the damp rolled towel away from beneath her neck, and replace the pillow back. Do you think this is what happened to your mom?

Regarding her choking, while she's still in the hospital, is it possible to see if she can have that swallowing test? Was she choking because of the med? If so, then check if that med can be crushed. I remember always having to ask the pharmacist if mom's new Rx was crushable. When they said it must be swallowed, I explained that she can no longer swallow food (stomach tube, trache, suctioning.)

As for the IV antibiotics, if hoca won't do it, are they willing to have an outsider come in? When I had my heart infection, ordered bedrest and IV antibiotic for over 4 weeks, the nurse showed my nephew how to hook up and end the IV for me. He would come in every day to do it. Leave and come back once in a while because that IV takes long to finish. My insurance covered the nurse's visits every 3 days (to change IV site.) It was over $100 per visit. After her 4th visit, I was sore on both arms from her changing the IV site every 3 days. I asked if there's another way of doing this because there's no way I will put up with this for 6 weeks.

I'm glad that your mom is still fighting the sepsis. But I guess, you still have more obstacles to overcome like what to do when she's released from the hospital.
{{Hugs}}
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Ms.Madge,
Thank you for keeping us updated on your Mom's progress, and I hope the discharge today happens smoothly and safely for her.
Take care of yourself too, if that is at all even possible with your work schedule.
Hugs, here is another hug, and a pat on the back! Good daughter.
You might be lucky there is no frick and frack appearances, I don't know, siblings are really a pain for many caregivers on here.
{{{ Hugs }}}
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MsMadge: Rough stuff. For you and The Viking. Sending good thoughts. (((hugs)))
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Ms Madge,
Sending hugs and good thoughts for you and your Mom.
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MsMadge, sorry the Viking can't swallow her meds. Most come in an IV form.

Book theses days they put in a PIC line which does not have to be changed every few days so that is no problem for home IVs. I had mine in for six weeks and no problems
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Thanks friends for the support

Speech therapist saw her yesterday and thought she could swallow well enough but seems to spend a lot of energy chewing and when drowsy the food gets left in her mouth and chokes her when she lays down

Late today doctor decided to keep mom another night in hospital as she was too lethargic
He also reduced her risperidone  - I hope that doesn't cause any issues with her in the nursing home if the Viking starts to roar again  

I'm glad she is in hospital another night but now discharge on Monday will mean more work missed

Spent 5 hours at the office tonight but I'm still 2 days behind in my deadline

Now sitting bedside with her and she's more alert than earlier today
Asked for a cookie

I think it is a licensing issue for hoca that they cannot handle IV antibiotics so a home health visiting nurse wouldn't work

She will need to be at the nursing home for 14 days - the length of the treatment

One step at a time but if I can get her back to hoca and her full size adjustable bed, how long until the next episode ?
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So the Viking is so exhausted she doesn't seem to notice her new surroundings much - I on the other hand am worried about her comfort
The nursing home bed is so small - seems narrower than a twin - and she's a big girl

I asked the DON about rails so she could grab when they change her - was told not allowed
I said others have them
Response - they have air cushions

I said I'm concerned the bed isn't wide enough to reposition her off her back - I'd like her to have an air cushion
Response - she doesn't have bed sores

Yes, and I'd like to keep it that way
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MsMadge, oh my. They really don’t care about their clients comfort, don’t they? This is not good. It’s so easy to get a bed sore. And so very hard to get rid of it.

My dad refused to use the air mattress. He said the bubble was too hard (not squishy when you push it down). It was hurting him. He also refused to turn on his sides. 24/7 for 5 years, he stayed on that hospital bed, very rarely getting off it, always on his back, with a 45 degree angle head incline. Since he refused to use the air mattress, I put a lifter blanket (folded twice) on top of the mattress. Then on top of that, I put a washable 32” x 35” waterproof bed pad. It was large enough to cover just where dad’s pillow ended- down to behind his knees. And it did add a tiny bit of cushion over the bed. (They have larger sizes but my dad is small like me.) And then, to prevent the bedsores from appearing on his buttocks, I bought one of those 4sets of square cushion pads that you place on the dining chairs. I would put one pad right where his butt is lying on.

Will they allow you to buy those foam mattress topper (Kmart twin size costs about $20) ? I didn’t use this for dad because when the govt caregivers came to give him a bed bath, they literally pour water over him, and the bed gets wet.

I’m trying to brainstorm for solutions around their unhelpfulness.
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MsMadge,
There is something called Americans with Disabilities Act which can also protect patient's rights. When one requests staff to make reasonable accommodations under the ADA, that request must be honored. If you bring up reasonable accommodation I doubt you will be struggling to explain to another nurse why anything......
imo, hoping for the best for you and your Mom.
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MsMadge Another place that may help you is called The Quality Improvement Organization.A year before Mother died,Mother's Hospice wanted to take her off their service and we weren't ok at all and I called this place and appealed and we won the appeal and Mother stayed on Hospice like she should have.It's too bad,but we have to fight for our dear Loved ones,because they can't.I'm so sorry for all you're dealing with.Many {{{hugs}}},Lu
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MsMadge,
I can't believe that a bed in a nursing home doesn't have rails. That's nuts! What are the poor, weak, older folks supposed to use for assistance in turning  or from keeping them from falling out of bed?

Can her doctor write an order for them? Surely the NH can find a bed with rails somewhere.
If the idiots can not come up with rails, could they rent a bed with rails from a medical supply company and bill it to the insurance because she has a doctor's order?
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MsMadge,
Don't hold back, we are here for you.
No pressure, but I am waiting on word, as well as your other friends, on your Mom's condition.
Thank you for checking in with us as you have!

No one would blame you if you just went home and slept for three days.

Love,
from Send
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MsMadge, sending you good thoughts.
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(((((MsMadge))))
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Greetings from the middle of the night

I'm working so late my head is going to explode - I guess that's for the whine thread

Haven't seen the Viking since Monday evening and so I've added an xtra 2 hour evening caregiver just so she's not alone

The bed issue really bothers me - even two years ago in rehab, the bed was larger and had rails - don't know if it's their stupid rules or the state, but They say they're considered a restraint - I said I'd sign a consent - topic for care meeting next week - at one time, this place was considered the top facility in the area

I have to contact genworth to see how many bed hold days are left on her LTC policy at hoca - I paid hoca for November and will owe them 30 day notice if she can't return - she's on iv antibiotic another 9 days or so

I don't know what her prognosis is just that she's exhausted and is occasionally mumbling and laughing which is better than being anxious at this point - I don't feel good not having control over things now and not knowing staff - or even the doctor

Morning caregiver helped give her a bed bath but now bookluvr has suggested that gets the bed wet??? Great that can't be good

Flipping Frick and frack have made no effort
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Don't worry about the bed bath. One advantage of SNFs is that they have endless supplies of things like Kylie pads, not to mention somebody else doing the laundry. They won't have left her in a wet bed.

The things about the we don't need to turn her because she doesn't have pressure sores, though.

MsMadge, how you have got through the last twelve months without punching somebody I do not know. Hugs of admiration.

And according to my computer it is something like twenty past five in the morning with you?

GO TO BED.

Hugs again.
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I naively asked for a partial rail for mom's bed for much the same reasons you want one MsMadge, she feels more secure having something to grab when they turn her. I say naively because it wasn't as simple as popping on some part rails, the bed just wasn't equipped for them. In the end I signed a waiver and we got full rails which was all her bed was equipped for, I hope you can too. You might also ask if they have any other style of beds available, bariatric beds are usually wider.
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This early morning, 5 a.m., , I really can do it all, all of it.
Yep, already had my coffee.
His alarm is going off now....an hour and 1/2 later.
Laundry is done.
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2:00 on a Saturday and I'm bored out of my tree, how do people handle retirement without going insane?? Too cold to go outside. Too poor to shop. The house is clean enough and I don't need to do any laundry cause I've still got plenty of clean underwear. Maybe I should go and sit in the NH lounge and watch the old movies, do you think anyone would notice?
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CW, I doubt anyone would notice. I used go visit a friend of my mother's at the NH. The staff thought I was her daughter. My Mom's friend thought I was my mom and called me Nora. One of her son's thought I was the visiting minister. After 4 or 5 months. I quit trying to explain and simply said hi to everyone and grabbed a couple of cookies off the cookie tray in the lounge.
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Your lounge had cookies? !!
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Yes they had cookies and tea, coffee every afternoon. Cookies were fairly good, very plain, but still a cookie. My Mom's friend wanted them to have a cocktail hour.
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Well Cwillie, their lounge didn't have any cookies after Upsetsister was there!
But I've got chocolate covered cream puffs to celebrate hubs and I anniversary, after 17 years. Now, when I ask myself, 'Why am I doing this?', I can be comforted, it's for the dozen cream puffs I bought.

Sharing Cwillie and UpsetSister.
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Wow don't you guys ever sleep? May be it's the sugar high from all those cookies!
Hugs MsMadge.
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