OTTER's Dec 2008 CalorieKing Blog
It's not a science, it is an art...
Saturday, December 6th 2008
care of a hospice patient, that is.Middle sister has spent the last 24 hours in a state of near catatonia. Her medications were changed, with all good intentions. But learning the full ingredients of the anti-nausea medication revealed that it contained three meds to which middle sister has never had good reactions.
Now we're not sure if she'll have the chance to have lucid days before she lapses into the worser times that are coming.
A near hour-long conversation with the on-ca...
Hospice kicking in...
Friday, December 5th 2008
Coordination of care through hospice is beginning to kick in. We've used the night nurse's services 2x since Tuesday, but just met our assigned nurse and social worker today.With change to medications, there should be some relief from the nausea and vomitting middle sister is experiencing. Also, she will be weaned off morphine and put on to methadone, which should give her better pain management. Finally, there are better steps that will be taken to control edema and help with constipat...
Big Day Here, New Milestone...
Tuesday, December 2nd 2008
Middle sister has accepted in-home hospice care. We had a meeting that lasted 90 minutes with a representative from the company (a person who is also a registered nurse), services begin immediately. It is an amazing adjunct to the support that we, her sisters, can offer her. Medical support by phone 24/7, delivery of medications (no hunting down elusive prescriptions across three counties!), physical devices (walker, transport wheelchair, over bed table, raising of toilet seat), and emotional...New Month!
Monday, December 1st 2008
Breathe in, breathe out; one foot in front of the other.It was a challenging weekend. Middle sister spent some time in hospital. Was discharged back home on same day. I am glad she is home, but also worried that we can't give her the care she needs. There is a constant energy of anxiety/fear that we may do something that will hurt middle sister.
It is a new kind of work to remember to take care of myself, and to continue to apply the skills I have learned through CK to my day to d...
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