OT November Chit Chat

[Virginia]

Ann, I will be thinking about you in the morning and I hope everything goes well.

Agate, I know how to do what you are saying, but I cannot do it on hard tile. The knee that is left on the tile is so painful to put weight on and the foot I have up is slipping. I can still do it on carpet, so I knew if worse came to worse I could do that if I got to carpet. However, it has gotten to a point that if I can find something the right height that is solid I can put my arms on it and push up better than getting up the way you are talking about. I use to do that all the time. I guess I should start practicing that move a little bit again, just so I will not loose the ability to do it.

I went to eat tonight with two brothers and one sister-in-law. I had crab cakes with rice and some spicy seasoning. Very good. This was first time I had been out to restaurant to eat in probably 10 weeks. I have stopped at Panera and picked up things a couple of times. Last time I was with them to eat was at niece's house the night before labor day which was 9 weeks tonight, so I figure I might have gone 10 weeks ago to a restaurant with them.

I have not been keeping y'all informed about older brother in South Carolina because so much has been going on here. He has fallen several more times now and they have not found the cause. Every time we think they have it figured out he falls again. He is now in rehab and they say he will be there from 1 to 3 months because he is so weak. His hemoglobin was 6 and while he was in the hospital this time they gave him a blood transfusion. I don't know what it is now, but it should be at least 11 or 12. This is probably his 3rd trip to hospital and rehab since I mentioned it on here. I told his daughter that they just keep recycling him, but are not looking at him as a whole person. Each Doctor is doing his own thing and they are not coordinating with one another. They are not looking at his medicine to see what interacts with anything else. When he went to hospital this time he woke last Sunday and was so dizzy he fell out of bed. They kept him in the hospital a few days and then sent him back to rehab. One time he fell it was because his leg that broke just gave out on him.

Did all you Cat owners miss your extra hour this morning? They still think it is the same time it was last week, so that means you all did not gain that hour that the rest of us did. I think dogs might be a little more understanding. Sometime you can just tell them to wait and go back to sleep and they will do it, but those cats want what they want when they want it. They are your masters.

[Howie]

And us good servants obey our masters. Yes Sam, your wish is my command!

[agate]

Virginia, you're right. Cats just don't do Daylight Saving Time changeovers at all.

It's a shame about your brother. Is there a family member who can talk to whatever doctor is in charge of him--the primary care doc if there is one? Maybe make a point of requesting that the doctors communicate with one another, send records back and forth?

This seems to me to be an essential part of a patient's care--making sure that one doctor isn't doing something that shouldn't be done because of something another doctor has been doing. Also, tests can be done needlessly just because one doctor has no record showing that the patient just had that test--and the patient may not remember or may have got the name of the test wrong.

It happens entirely too often, I'm afraid.

[Cherie]

Agate, those words are alarmingly true! The average adult with two or more conditions sees three to five docs to manage them. Generally these do not share the same electronic health record and the records do not talk to each other. AND most docs that I have encountered do not take well to direction from the patient in the form of "that test was just done".

[stillstANNding]

Fortunately all my docs are in the Partners System and use the Epic electronic record. All the specialists, internist, gyn and all the testing sites and the PT use it.

Upper endoscopy this AM was normal. Biopsies were taken (nurse told me ahead of time that they always do biopsies). Next is, finally, a gastric emptying study, to be scheduled. I am told that all I have to do is eat scrambled eggs and lay under an X-ray machine. I can do that.

Thanks for your prayers and good wishes. I think they’ve ruled all the bad things out. Whew!
ANN

[Catdancer]

Virginia, I'm so sorry about your brother. All those falls is never a good thing. Getting him in to rehab is probably the best option for now.

Yes, getting doctors coordinated is a good thing. My health care service has everything electronic now, so any doctor or health professional can simply log in and find out anything she needs to know. Or I can tell them to log in. My records are so long now it probably eats up most of their bits and bytes! :)

My cats wake up when the first light shows. One will wait patiently until we get up. The other demands his breakfast NOW!!!! So TC rolls out of bed, feeds them, then crashes back into bed for an hour..

[Virginia]

Ann, so glad things went well for you this morning. Now on to the next thing. Just got to get you to a point that you can eat.

Agate, his daughter and I had a long conversation Friday while she and her husband were on there way to S.C. to see my brother. She understands the importance of what I am saying about one person looking at the whole person. I asked her about the possibility of getting him to some place (would take a referral) like Duke or even maybe someplace closer to where he lives if there is such a place. They work in teams and each person does his own thing and then they come together to consult. The problem is that she has already stayed down there 5 full weeks since he first broke his leg. She works. She also has taken off odd days to go down for the week-end, like Friday and today. Her husband also took off. Another daughter has taken off almost as much and has run down on the week-ends. She was going to try and talk to him while she was there this week-end.

By the way, they are now saying his wife has vasculitis not cellulitis.

The main problem with this situation is that they live so far away. Everyone in their family works and it is just a bad situation as far as that goes.

[Sunshine]

That is a big relief in. I am sure that you and Peter are celebrating!

Virginia, I wonder if you can enlist the aid of the hospital social worker to get these doctors to coordinate with one another. This sounds like very bad care and I’m sure you were quite worried about it. Rightfully so.

[Howie]

Alright, where is everyone. Everyone else has a better half to talk to, but me, the loan wolf....HOWL!!!! only has Sam, and she stays pretty quiet most of the time.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

ANN ~

So glad that your endoscopy didn't uncover any issues, and you were able to go out and about after the procedure. You're doing great in the "ruling out" category! One more test to go ~ you're in my prayers.

Virginia ~

Not being able to get up from the floor is scary. I'm glad that you found a way. I have a rule now: Don't get on my knees or sit on the floor, unless somehow vitally necessary. I know my limitations, so I avoid doing anything that I know will compromise me.

I have a grabber, which is handy for picking stuff up off of the floor, reaching to top shelves or under furniture to get something. If I can't get it, it stays there. Perhaps you could ask the woman, who cleans your home, to retrieve whatever items might be out of your reach.

I'm so sorry about your brother and all of his trials. I agree with Sunshine that a professional needs to be involved now to coordinate all of his needs.

And I suggest that your brother needs a 24 hour caregiver. Your sister-in-law is unable to care for your brother. And their children are going to wear out going back and forth, missing work, stressing, which isn't good for their health.

Your brother and sister need to have 24 hour caregivers to help prevent falls and other calamities. If they remain in their home, it should be converted to accommodate their needs as much as possible, and they need to have caregivers, working in shifts. If they leave their home, they should be in an intermediate care environment, at least.

I've been through this with my family, and am watching it happening to John's family with his mother.

A time comes, when it's no longer safe or sensible for our loved ones to live alone. And the challenge of meeting their needs exhausts their family members.

If they can't get professional help through the Rehab center or hospital or your brother's primary care physician, then they should start investigating available alternatives for their parents' care. Otherwise, no one's needs are being met in the family. And it's just constant chaos.

Here's a Google search, which might help them get started:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

It's a difficult and strenuous situation, but it can and should be made easier for families like yours. If help isn't offered, then we need to ask for it.

Cherie ~

I hope your home is restored as it should be. You have such a busy schedule, and I'm amazed at all that you do. Thank you for your advocacy.

Sunshine ~

I hope you're okay with moving. I'm excited for you to be in your new home.

To All ~

You're in my prayers always ~

Love & Light,



Rose

[Virginia]

Rose, thanks for the information you researched for me. Their home does pretty much accommodate their needs and that is a good thing. Even though it is not by any means an older home my brother had just in the past year or so had a new bath put in that has grab bars and a walk in shower. He had it done upscale and I have heard it is beautiful.

One problem is my sister-in-law is a little bit of an airhead. No one they bring is probably going to satisfy her. The lady they had for 4 hours every day has not satisfied her. She says this lady talks too much and sits down with them and talks about family things. There will always be something wrong with everyone she gets. I did discuss this situation with my Niece when we talked Friday and I expressed my concern that they need someone all the time. I understand the children's position. They hesitate to say things that they ordinarily would say because this is not their Mother. My brother was a widower and married her long after the children were grown. She has two daughters of her own. Hopefully they will all get together on this situation.

Howie, I do not have a better half. I don't even have a Sam. However, if I was married, I would be the better half.

[stillstANNding]

Good one, Virginia.

ANN

[Cherie]

This evening I sat down to organize my emails. I put several things on "hold" over the past 2 weeks and now realize there was so much work there and need for attention that it is not even close to funny. I have been asked to serve on three more National health care advisory committees. One is way out of my comfort zone and expertise. One is intriguing and looks like fun but not really where I think I might be the most help with the least effort. The final committee is right down my alley (advising the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) helping them to hear and know what the people they serve really and and what is important to them. I spent a little over 2 hours tonight filling out the on line application for the committee that I have been told I am already on and it will net a substantial Honorarium but needs at least 6 hours of webinar time between now and April 1 and several hours of prep time and "homework" leading up to the big face to face meeting in Arlington , VA at the end of April next year. Howie????

Tomorrow we vote. Raining pretty steadily here now with temps tickling 50. Dave and I got several pieces of artwork and photos rehung in the dining room and are working at cleaning up the plaster dust and construction debris as we do. It feels so much nicer here now than it did this morning. Still not quite done but we have gotten a great deal done.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Today I was headed down the driveway to get the mail. My scooter front end broke off and I had a hard time getting it back into the house. I had punched the panic button and paramedics were on the way.

As I tried to get it over the threshold it tipped all the way over and my soda in the basket began spilling. Also I landed on the floor. The neighbor lady across the street saw me in the doorway and asked if I was okay. I said no I am on the floor.

She brought one of the men from her house and she got my spare scooter from the back bedroom and brought it to where I was on the floor.Then she and the man she brought over lifted me to standing and onto the scooter seat.

The frame from the front wheel broke in pieces and will need welding. The paramedics arrived and did not have to help me. Jim is going to come get my scooter and take it to his welder. It seems there is always something breaking or getting old.

Verizon cut off my cell phone because Visa issued me a new card with a different date and code. Tomorrow I have to go vote and go to Verizon. I am happy I did not hurt myself when it threw me off. I do not like DSTime. Jeanie :)

[Virginia]

Jeanie, I am just so glad you were not hurt. I think I have heard you say you do not like the scooter you are using now. I hope they get the one that broke fixed soon, and really good. It does seem like it is always something.

Cherie, sounds like you are gearing up to be busy again. I think the one that you feel best suited for might be right down your ally. After all you have always helped the elderly. Hope you are able to come to a good decision about which ones to do and which ones not to do. Glad the house is looking better. That will make you fell better.