Jul 10, 2008 02:22PM
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Mom is stressed and worried and very tired. Dad is getting cared for in the hospital, though he is on the cardiac ward instead of in neurology. He was rejected for convalescent care, and currently the CCAC is preparing the paperwork for long term extended care. His own neurologist has said 'it doesn't look good'. We don't know anything about what kind of life expectancy he has. Three weeks ago he could walk around the block, up and down the stairs in the house and take good care of his own hygiene with a little help from Mom. He could basically feed himself at the table.
On June 19th he fainted and did not make it to a chair. He fell and broke his collar bone. He was three days in the ER waiting for a bed ... his heart was 'erratic'. He has orthostatic hypotension (sudden drop of bp when standing) along with Parkinson's Disease, Shy Drager syndrome or Multiple System Atrophy. He s also totally blind for about 20 years now, and legally for 20 years prior to that. He is getting daily physiotherapy. He cannot stand up anymore without fainting. He no longer sits in a chair to eat. He is being fed, and now can no longer feed himself. He sleeps a lot. He is in diapers, and is severely constipated, though an enema helped a lot with that. Dad is in a ward room next to a 100 yr old who moans, and shouts constantly day and night, with very little down time. So Dad is also not getting a restful sleep at all. He is crying and examining his life with regrets.
Mom is going to be 80 at the end of July. She goes to the hospital twice a day...to help him in the morning with breakfast, and in the evening for his dinner, and pre-bed routines. She sleeps in between, and worries.
She rejects my help ... i am not a natural caregiver and am awkward. But she needs help too. Tomorrow she has her driver's test ... I think she will pass, though I am not sure she should. Her vision is not so good either, and her reactions are slow. She is a cautious driver though, so the greatest danger is to those frustrated behind her I think.
She rejects my help. It is called interferring. I am not a natural caregiver, but i do CARE.