Don’t know if I can make it to the end.

VRAAB

I haven’t been online in awhile, just slowly taking care of DH at home with the help of my AD and hospice.  He is late stage 7, can’t walk, talk, feed himself, incontinent and mostly bed bound,. With the help of my dtr we can get him up and in a wheelchair and we use a Hoyer lift to put back in bed.  He is quiet, not making eye contact and starting to lean in the wheelchair.  He eats fairly well for me.  Our latest crisis though is a bed wound  on his ankle that won’t heal.  It has been months and it gets a little better than it gets worse as he constantly pulls his foot under his leg and puts pressure on it.  I’ve got him on an air mattress, heel protectors.etc.  Hospice isn’t a lot of help.  They recommend gauze, then bandage, then no gauze, let it dry out. Back and forth with recommendations so I don’t know what to do.  It just won’t heal.    

   Sometimes I feel I am on my last nerve and then later, with rest I am fine.  It is the up and down of it that is getting to me.   We lost DH’s sister, age 57, in December to breast cancer very suddenly due to chemo complications.  Then my very best friend, same age as me, 62, has been given 12-18 months to live as she has appendicile cancer.  My AD got covid during the holidays but luckily was a mild case but it did cut short our holiday family celebration.  Then yesterday my neighbor tells me his dog has bone cancer.  I don’t know how much more bad news I can take!  Help!

DreamerLost

Judi57

Hi DreamerLost.   I don't post much, but I saw your post about a bedsore and thought I'd respond.  My husband gets these too.   I've found something that works. Believe me, I tried almost everything.   It is Terrasil Wound Care Max.  Like you, I was desperate to find something that worked.  This cream worked.  But it is expensive.  I get the larger container (200 gm.), but that lasts me for over a year.  You don't need much of the cream to help the healing.  I then covered it with gentle border bandages manufactured by Allevyn. Make sure they are gentle border so they can be removed without skin damage.  They too are expensive, but I wanted the wound gone. And you are correct that doctors have different opinions on what will work.    Both items can be purchased from Amazon.  Everything worked by being consistent with the care.  Then after it started healing really well, I would start leaving it uncovered so it could dry out.   I have to keep a constant vigil on his butt bedsore, but once I see something starting, the cream and patches go on.  

Just wanted to say I don't have any stock in the companies, just wanted to let you know what worked for me.  Always happy to help with something about which I have experience.

Judi

LadyTexan

dear VRAAB,

You have so much on your plate. I am so sorry. I am glad you have some help. Even if hospice does not meet your expectations, hopefully they provide some value. You are not alone. I am with you in spirit. Sending you cyber hugs and positive thoughts. -LT

DrinaJGB

My DH was hospitalized for 4 months due to viral encephalitis.

  The first month was in ICU on life support which lead to all manner of different and very difficult ICU-acquired infections.

  One of the meanest was a MRSA wound on his backside which was never healed while in facilities, so he came home with it. He was also in a wheelchair.

 They had tried many things over those months with no real result.

I started spraying normal saline on the wound daily to clean it. Sometimes I would mix a drop or two of liquid tea tree soap to clean it in with the saline, and then spray saline before dressing it again.

  The thing that started to show healing was the addition of a dab of Manuka wound honey on the gauze before closing it. I also gave him vitamin C which aids in the healing of skin. Over about a month it was nearly closed.

Manuka wound honey is very expensive, but it was the only thing that worked. The wound has never re-opened in over 10 years.

  You can find it on Amazon. Make sure it is the real deal and from New Zealand which is the only place in the world the honey is made by the bees that pollinate the manuka tree.

Best of luck to you.

dj

arizonadianne

All I have to offer you is my love & good thoughts as you navigate through this terrible, terrible  winter. It sounds impossibly hard, and look at you and your AD, together you just get up every day and do it best. Big hugs!

Beachfan

Dreamer,

You have been in my thoughts a lot lately. I was hoping and praying that you were just very busy, but managing; it sounds as though the situation is becoming overwhelming.  I finally “caved” and placed DH, but I didn’t have nearly the severity of problems you face.  Please know I am praying for you, DD, and your DH.  You are so strong to carry on with home care; I couldn’t do it.  Please keep in touch.  Lynn (Beachfan)

Arrowhead

This may not help you, but after dealing with things I never thought I would have to deal with, I coined a phrase that sums up my experiences: "It's AMAZING what you can do...when you have no choice," 

You're stronger than you think you are.

Lills

My DH is also bedbound in late-stage 7 and has some red 'spots' on his ankles.  They aren't large but I'm watching them like a hawk.  Hospice has put bandages on them.  So far, the spots haven't gotten worse, but not better either.  It's been about a month since he's had them.  Today I ordered the Terrasil Would Care Max; I'll let you know how it works.

DH doesn't move much at night (ALS).  I used to have heel protectors but found that pillows work better for me.  One firm pillow under both legs up to the knee and one soft pillow I can roll up to so that just his heels hang over the edge of the pillow.  Also, when he's in his recliner, I make sure his heels are propped up and are hanging over the edge.  

Sadly, I caused the wounds!  I knew his heels needed to be propped up so I purchased a super-soft bolster roll from Sleep Number.com.  I loved it--but then I discovered that the spots were from the edge of the pillow.  Ahhh!

Doityourselfer

DreamerLost,  I've been thinking about how you are doing.  You're an amazing caregiver.  I'm with you in spirit too.

loc3762

Hi DreamerLost, it sounds like we are at the exact spot as you.  My DH has been bedbound since August 19th.  The hospital bed is set up in our living room.  My DH is also non-verbal, unable to sit, eats puree foods.  Do you have a wedge (pillow)?  You put in under you husbands legs so that his feet and ankles are not touching the bed.  I use our wedge about 20 hours a day to keep his heels off the bed.  If you don't have a wedge then roll a couple of pillows and put them under his calves to keep the heels off the bed.  I know we are just winging it and I hope this helps you.  You can't give up now look how far you have come and how well you have done.  I'm right here with you.  Leslie