DW will very seldom use the toilet and does both of her businesses in her disposable panties. I was wondering if this could be because of her sometimes fear of sitting down on the toilet? It takes a lot of effort on my part to get her to sit down. Even the companion had trouble today.
At other times during the same day she will sit while I am changing /cleaning her. But she will not use the toilet on her own. She would just two weeks ago.
Just curious, no major problem with this. I am learning more about understanding this incomprehensible disease.
Enough about me now I am just scared I won't make it in time.
You can get side rails that screw under the seat which may help or simply let her use a commode somewhere other than the bathroom if that helps.
Being afraid of falling may also be an issue so back her up till she can feel the seat with her legs and she may be confident there actually is somewhere to sit. If yu can no longer see behind you to see what you are sitting on it can become an issue as you don't want to fall. I totally understand the bedding over and plopping down it is a fear thing. Try and go with the flow there will be omething different when next week rolls around.
The handle attachments would not work because she refuses to get near it. Backing up is a nearly impossible move. She does not look where she is sitting. Once in a while she will back up to feel the object she is going to plop down on. But not often.
It really seems like she is afraid of some unseen monster is going to get her.
I know it is just one of those phases some of our LO's go thru with this disease.
For instance, today she went to the bathroom by herself. But only once. The rest of the day she just used the disposable underwear.
This seems to tell me some of those cells function once in a while.
It is no big worry. I will live with it and hopefully I can learn something from each episode.
Thanks all. Live and learn.
Any changes in vision so that it's looking scary to her, or she can't see what she might be sitting on? Can you do anything about the lighting?
I think you do already have a comfort height seat, haven't you, so there can't be any falling sensation.
It might *just* be worth having a discreet look at her perineal area in case there is a sore or scratched place that stings when she sits at that angle.
I can't put anything on top of the toilet as she is only 4'10" and barely reaches the floor when seated. I have built a short step for her to use so her feet can be flat on a sort of floor. That, in the past helped. And she is not like this constantly. I think it may be a phase but it re-occurs.
I am the only staff since she lives at home. We do have a visiting nurse, she is coming today along with the therapist. I will mention this to them. It will be interesting to find out what the books have to say. I am just looking for some one with direct experience. She did do this when she was in rehab and it seemed to just go away but the re-occurrance is starting to worry me. When ever she does sit down she will bend over almost double before she will sit. Actually it is more of a plop down.
I doubt that the addition of handles would help either because she will not reach back for any sort of arm on a seat to guide her. My being there seems to be of no comfort to the her. I am pretty sure she really does not fully realize that she needs to go and may need help.
Thank yo for your input and suggestions. For now I will just keep on keeping on.
From my reading, one of the symptoms that occurs in the progression is becoming incontinent, so, I think it happen with most patients.