So we’re doing OK. It’s great to have a really nice PT dude coming over twice a week, mostly to take the hubster for a walk in the nabe. Too bad it will last only 3 weeks. Hubster needs the exercise. I tried taking him out today myself, but as soon as he stepped outside (gorgeous day btw–got to 75), he turned around and came back in .
Very few pee-pee accidents lately, but today’s was…interesting. He was acting like he needed to go for a while, and I took him repeatedly to both bathrooms. Nuh-uh. The last time I left him in the master bath toilet room to pee and went back to my chores. When I returned he had peed (mostly) in the (luckily empty) wastebasket, with a small puddle in front of it. He then pulled off his jeans and made clear he wanted the Depends off, too. They were wet! First time he peed in them in the daytime. Since it was mid-afternoon and clearly we weren’t going anywhere, I gave him pjs with his fresh Depends. He was totally cooperative.
After dinner he fell asleep in his recliner (a common occurrence). After I did the dishes and put the tv on in the bedroom, I went to retrieve him, but he didn’t want to get up. And he was hugging his flute case (I had handed it to him earlier in the afternoon in hopes he’d play with his flute while I accomplished some stuff). Finally I heard the chair creak (hey, our recliners are almost 20 years old-) so I went to help him to bed (and forestall any pee accidents). Only to find him curled up on the floor, falling asleep. I tried cajoling him to come to bed–he just looked at me and went to sleep. On the floor. I gave him a pillow and lap blanket. After a while I heard the chair creak again and ran back to the den. He was getting comfy back in the chair, but I was able to persuade him to get into bed. He feel asleep immediately .
He’s preferentially eating his yellow and orange supplement gunnies. Alas, most are red.
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Too bad it will last only 3 weeks.
Does he moonlight?
Does he moonlight?
I’ll ask. Be pricey, though.
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Speaking of pricey, insurance will no longer cover olanzapine. Apparently Medicare and most insurers cover it (we have Medicare plus state of SC employee supplemental).
=alstro, would like to see whoever made this decision care for someone 24x7 with “psychotic breaks” without an anti-psychotic =8-0 Will have to discuss options with our neurologist (him persuading insurers, my using GoodRx, subbing a covered drug).
The hubster just had PT, and I discussed continuing therapy options with the Steve, our therapist. He doesn’t moonlight, but he can probably hook us up with people who do. He also said his company operates under Medicare Part A, which has strict controls. But some operate under Part B which is more lenient(?) and that should be our first go-to.
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The hubster just had PT, and I discussed continuing therapy options with the Steve, our therapist. He doesn’t moonlight, but he can probably hook us up with people who do. He also said his company operates under Medicare Part A, which has strict controls. But some operate under Part B which is more lenient(?) and that should be our first go-to.
So good to have this PT experience. One really important aspect is seeing that hubster is comfortable being with someone new. Obviously, this PT is experienced at working with patientsin a way that makes them feel calm and not threatened. And it works.
=sheila
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Yes, Steve is gentle, skilled, and adaptable. DH responds well to his calm demeanor. But he seemed so wiped out after a very short walk that Steve checked his BP again. Elevated the right amount for gentle exercise, so unlikely to have a heart problem, just weak from lack of exercise. Which is why I asked for PT in the first place! He agrees that DH would benefit greatly from continuing PT (and me by extension-).
I took him shopping after brunch, and although he walked slowly, he managed. He took himself to the bedroom and fell asleep on the bed in mid-afternoon. I woke him for dinner–he ate everything on his plate–and then went right back to sleep. Hope he won’t be up all night =8-0
I think one daily outing–walk OR errand–will be enough for him these days.
Now that the weather is warm, I think I should walk on the beach when the aide comes instead of running errands(!).
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2 steps forward, 2 steps back.
After needing me to brush his teeth for the past week, he accepted the toothpasted electric toothbrush from my hand and succeessfully brushed his teeth. He took the warm wet washcloth from my hand and washed his own face and let me wash his hands with it and remove his old t-shirt to wash his armpits. I was able to pull down his jeans and remove yesterday’s Depends and wash his bum. But not removing the pants to put on fresh Depends, so he went commando today.
After I gave him a quesadilla for lunch, I gave both of us fruit salad w/walnuts. He seemed confused. I spoon-fed him a few spoonsful, then he started taking the spoon from me to feed himself, but not to spoon up more fruit himself. Like a toddler in reverse.
He poo’d twice this morning, first time in master bath while I slept (clogged the toilet, but white vinegar dissolved), second time after breakfast in the guest bath. He never flushes poo, which makes monitoring easy.
After lunch he stood in the hallway and peed into the laundry room. A real big puddle. sigh. Then he walzed into the living room, sat in the swivel chair with the waterproof pad, and fell asleep.
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Today is good (last night not so much-) although no aide today. Shortly after breakfast he started pulling down his pants–that’s my signal to act fast and get him into the shower. After kinda dragging him to he master bath, I rushed through turning on the cube heater, turning on the shower (slow warm-up), getting him undressed, and bringing a fresh tee-shirt (the Depends are in the bathroom linen closet). He stepped straight into the shower and got his head wet(!). I started washed his hair and body with full cooperation (seemingly no desire to do any of it himself, although he dried himself after).
I brushed his teeth, combed his hair, cleaned his ears, and dressed him with full cooperation–he put on fresh jeans, socks and shoes himself.
He ate breakfast and lunch well as usual. While I listened to some soothing early music (very early, like Sumerian and Anglo-Saxon! Look up Peter Pringle) after lunch, he dozed off.
I’ll either take him for a walk or on an errand this afternoon, depending on how he seems when he wakes.
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Nice clean start to the day! 
=sheila