New suckage

GothicGremlin

Because the old suckage was not enough.

Peggy fell again.    I'm working on getting a hospital bed and a walker. I feel so bad for her, all of this is happening to her, and she's just not that old. She doesn't yet qualify for Medicare.

Remember how happy I was last night about my virtual goth night? Not a half hour after I posted that, Peggy fell out of her bed.  I have her bed on the floor so she didn't have far to fall. Still, paramedics were called (just in case) and I was called. She's okay, thankfully.  Today she remembered she fell, but she said it was no big deal. And it wasn't. Still.  Hospital bed.

Today Peggy had an outburst. I wasn't there for that, but I was on the phone, and she forgot I was on the phone. The caregiver with her was so great with her - trying to get her to sit in the chair, and talk to me on the phone. Of course Peggy's speech is pretty much 90% word salad, which seems to be our new normal. I wasn't at all sure what we talked about. On Peggy's end it really sounded like she thought she was making sense, but from my end.... all I could do was agree with her and hope it was an appropriate response.

So, maybe we change her medication again?

M1

So sorry G G. I have to wonder though: did she qualify for SsDI benefits? If so then she should qualify for Medicare despite her young age. Yoh may want to check on that.

harshedbuzz

GG-

No real advice beyond what M1 posted but loads of empathy and commiseration. 

It is reassuring when you witness a positive interaction between your LO and the professional you trust to care for them.

HB

SusanB-dil

just. DANG!!!   So sorry.  ((hugs))    I'm glad the caregiver was good with her. But no, didn't need for this all to happen.  Hadn't thought about it, but M1 has good suggestion, there.

Cynrish

*Hugs* As a caretaker without any end in site, self preservation often leads me down a spiral of dark thoughts that leave me feeling both horrible and defeated. There is zero gratitude and endless tasks. It all very exhausting. I try to relax and recharge when mom’s caregiver is with her but I just can’t… 

Kibbee

I’m sorry to hear about your sister and her fall & the need to bring in a hospital bed.  Seems like just when we’ve adjusted to their condition and can take a breath, something happens and they slide a little farther down in their abilities.  And each time that happens it’s another gut punch of reality, and the need to readjust to their new lower abilities.  Hang in there.

GothicGremlin

Thanks, all of you. And of course this morning I got an early morning wake up call - Peggy fell out of her bed again. I don't even think my eyes were fully open and there I was having a conversation about hospital beds with the nurse at Peggy's facility.

M1 and harshedbuzz - I checked on SsDI early on in the process and unfortunately Peggy doesn't qualify. It turns out Peggy never paid into that.  Odd as this may sound, the city she worked for (30+ years) has their own system and they fund their own pension plan/benefits package.  I guess I'm just naive, but I didn't even know a city could opt out of social security. Peggy has a great pension in all other ways, just not that way.  When Peggy first retired she told me she wanted to get another job so that she could get her credits. She never managed to do that because by then she was almost out of the MCI phase and into the full on Alzheimer's phase.

Cynrish -- it's all terribly exhausting and there really is no end in sight (and the end isn't going to be a picnic either). Gotta try to recharge as best you can though. For me, usually my virtual goth night on Monday nights helps - except when it doesn't.    Maybe an exercise class? Something else that makes you happy in the moment?

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FloydSnax

Goth

Check out my "The Opposite of Venting." post. I responded there? I think

GothicGremlin

Victoria - Thank you very much for that!  I had not seen that publication.  I know what I'm doing for the rest of the day. 

loveskitties

You mention that you are looking into getting a hospital bed...is that because they have side rails that can be raised?

You mentioned that you were discussing this with the facility nurse so hopefully she knows if the rails can be used...in some places they are considered a restraint and not permitted.

My father fell from his hospital bed several times, as rails were not permitted. 

I would think that having the bed on the floor would be the safest option to avoid serious harm.  The inches from mattress top to floor should be minimal.

GothicGremlin

Hey there loveskitties - yes, that's why we're getting one, so that the rails can be raised. Hopefully that will help prevent Peggy from rolling out of the bed and onto the floor - which she's done twice more since Monday night.

You're right about the rails being regarded as restraints. The facility where Peggy is (in California) specifically requested I get one with half rails, not full rails, so that it wouldn't be regarded as a restraint.

Right now Peggy's bed is on the floor because I was worried about falls from the get go. Thing is the box spring + mattress probably puts her a couple of feet off the ground (I'm horrible at estimating heights of things). If you sit on her bed it feels like sitting on a low couch.  So yeah, I don't think she'd get seriously hurt, but I'm hoping for as few mishaps as possible.

I'm out of my realm with all of this, so I'm reading everything I can find and asking lots of questions.

Quilting brings calm

GG- 

When my mom’s journey started with a misdiagnosed UTI that went septic, she was put in a special bed at the hospital.  A low hospital type bed with rails.  It sat very low to the floor.  The staff also placed pads on the floor all around the bed to soften the blow if she fell.  I would describe  them as  similar to kindergarten nap mats, or similar material to high school wrestling mats.  The bed also had an alarm if she got out of bed.  

Anonymousjpl123

This all sounds incredibly overwhelming and I am amazed you are not completely in a puddle! Yes hospital bed sounds about right. No easy answer. It’s just trying to do the next right thing I guess. That sucks about her ssdi but I am glad she/you have the resources for her to be someplace secure. The bed thing is scary. Hopefully she won’t react too poorly to the hospital bed. Maybe get some nice new pretty sheets if she is into that kind of thing.

F&E

Hello Gothic Gremlin,Just wanted to let you know that I put down pillows and cushions to brake the fall.worked for us. Wife has not fallen out of bed in weeks.wishing you all the best 

GothicGremlin

Thanks, all of you.

Anonymousjpl123 - I'm the girl you want if you're going to have a catastrophe. My m.o. is to take care of everything now, fall apart later. Also, so far, Peggy hates the hospital bed. I had a feeling. Pretty sheets is a great idea.

Victoria - still trying to see if Peggy qualifies. I've got the city on it.

The other weird thing that's cropped up in the last couple of days? Sometimes when we're talking she'll refer to me in the third person, and then say my name. She knows she's talking to me, because I've asked her. Very weird to be referred to in the third person to your face.