Overtime

In my first post in this blog, I explained how I'd spent my adult life trying to avoid going into a nursing home, and that I'd failed.  I didn't consider the matter closed, however.  I said I was in overtime.

Well, this is my final post from the nursing home.  With help and support from my family, and with the help of Melissa Justice, John Dickerson, and Jill Ginn of the ARC of Indiana, of Laura Fife, Kelly Crawford, and Alicia Patterson of Insights Consulting-- plus, so I understand, people I don't know-- I have won in overtime.  I leave here Monday, to move into my own apartment.  I will miss some of the people here, but I am ready to move into the next phase of my life.  Finally, in my own home.

My Move Is Truly On

Laura tells me she has moved all my stuff out of my brother Jon's house and into my apartment.  Today, she is coming to move the bookshelves I have here.  This weekend, I'll be out and busy with my sister Kim and brother Joe, and Laura has two appointments set up for me the first day in my new place.

This is a busy, joyous time.

Last Few Days

I'm down to a few more days here.  I'm officially scheduled leave about 10 Monday morning.  It's an exciting time for me.

The aides and nurses who have worked with me the most have said they'll miss me, but they're happy for me.  Charlene even gave me a little hug last week.  I wish she were coming with me, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards.  She has promised to visit me, however.

It Happened Again

This morning I was sitting on the pot when a nurse came right in and gave me my medicine.  I don't think I'd ever seen her before.

I realize they have to keep to schedules here, but there's also a respect for individuals, and for their privacy.  Those might get short shrift in institutions of this size on occasion.

Sandwiches

For a few weeks now, I've gotten sandwiches most of the time for supper.  Before that, I rarely had sandwiches at all; they gave me good meals at lunch and supper.  I still usually get a good lunch, but suppers have been slipping.

I don't know whether it's a budget matter here or something else, but I just have a week to go here, and then I'll be more in charge of my own menu.

Shower And Meds

Yesterday afternoon, Yodit was giving me a shower when the nurse came in with my nasal spray.  There I was, naked in the shower stall, and she reached in and administered the spray.  It was bizarre.

If a nurse comes to my room with meds, finds me in the bathroom, and gives me the meds while I'm on the toilet-- as has happened-- that's one thing, I suppose.  This nurse, though, knew I was in the shower, and deliberately took the spray in there.  I can only assume she wanted to get her work done early.  The problem is that I'm supposed to get the nasal spray in the evening so I can sleep through the night.  Getting it in the afternoon won't do that.   Oh, well.

Working With Yodit

Today may be the last shift I have Yodit as my aide here.  She told me they're transferring her to the morning shift in another section next week, so she might not work with me here anymore.

The good news is that Yodit will be working with me after my move.  She's a good young woman and a really caring, competent aide, and I trust her absolutely.  I'm very happy she's staying with me.

Waiting For Aides

Last night I hit the call button twice after supper because I needed the bathroom.  Both times I had to wait for more than a half hour.  The aide who helped me that shift told me she wasn't supposed to work this section yesterday.

So, I don't know what's going on here, but in a few more days I won't have to deal with it anymore.

Busy Day

Today has been a busy day.  This morning, Laura and Alicia came over again, this time bringing two represenatives from Tendercare, who kindly explained to me what Tendercare will be doing for me.  A snag in the funding regulations will delay them a few days, but I guess that's what happens with government bureaucracy.

Then, after lunch, Laura took me to the Social Security office to get a paper we need.  I had to be there, but nobody said a word to me.  Unless they have my photo on file, which they may have, she could've brought any guy with her.  After that, Laura took me to the Insights Consulting offices, which are located in an old nursing home, and introduced me to some of the people who work there.  They seemed a nice, friendly bunch.

I also learned today there are still doctors who make house calls.  Will wonders never cease.  Of course, today's technology makes such an approach to medicine more feasible than ever.  I might get one of them as my primary care physician.

It's been a good day.

Getting A Powerchair

Laura and Alicia had Jeff Freehill come over this morning to see about me getting a power wheelchair.  He brought one and had me drive it, just to see what I could do.  I hadn't done that in years, and that chair wasn't set up for me, but I dif pretty well.

Such a chair could let me be more on my own in the outside world.  It's an interesting prospect.  We'll see how it goes.

Physical Therapy

A physical therapist I'd never met before came into my rooms this morning-- around 8 o'clock, no less-- and told me I was to have physical therapy to get me in shape for my move.

Well, that struck me as silly, but I didn't tell her that.  I did tell her I wasn't going to do any therapy.  Two weeks is not enough time to really improve my physical shape, so it would just be busy work to satisfy somebody else, or some regulation.  I'm not interested in busy work.  I also don't have time for busy work.  I'm already busy preparing for the move, keeping up my two blogs, etc.  I also have a column to write for my syndication arrangement.  All that, and I'm never sure when I'm going to get lunch and supper, which complicates my work.  So, no therapy.

No Clean Underwear

I'm wearing Depends at the moment, not because I need them, but bexause I had no clean underwear.  They take my shorts to the laundry and bring them back whenever.  It's frustrating.

I'll have a washer/dryer in my apartment, so my clothes will only leave my home when I'm wearing them once I get there.  That will be one fewer variable in my life.

Maybe A Hiccup

If my funding is not in place in time, the schedule we've worked out for my aides might have to be delayed.  If so, I'll have 24/7 aide care using emergency funding until my regular funding comes through.  It could be up to two weeks after my move until my regular schedule is in place.

I'm not thrilled with the idea of having somebody around all the time, but if it happens at all, hopefully it will only be for a short time.

Coming Together

This is shaping up as a big week for me.  Jeff plans to buy me a new bed this week.  Insights has contacted Yodit about working with me at my new place, and Yodit is happy to do it if everything works out.  Laura is also bringing over a possible staff member to meet me,

Next week, activity will probably go up another notch.  Quite a time.

Interesting Experiment

Friday night I used a urinal in bed, and did just fine, except I got stopped up and couldn't breathe.  The next two nights I've gotten up and gone to the bathroom, and I haven't got stopped up.  I figure being upright for a few minutes lets my sinuses drain so I can get back to sleep.

Isn't biology strange?  Who would've thought the bladder was connected to the sinuses?

The Home Stretch

This morning, Jeff and I went over to Nora Commons.  We looked at three more apartments, and I chose one.  Laura Fife, Alicia Patterson, and Kimberly Kaba were all us, too, to work out the paperwork.

Now, after all these years, I finally have a home of my own.  I chose a fourth floor apartment that looks down into the building's courtyard.  As of September 25, it will officially be mine, which will give us a week to move my stuff in before I move over October 1  I'm eager for October to get here..

Taking My Meds

I was sitting on the toilet trying to pee yesterday when a nurse brought my medicine.  Did she wait, or, heaven forbid, come back?  Oh, no-- she brought the pills into the bathroom and gave them to me while I sat on the pot.  I've also had them bring medicine before I was even out of bed.  They've also brought their blood pressure measuring apparatus into my room in the middle of the night.

I understand they have schedules to keep here.  I also understand nurses have seen it all.  However, there are also such values as human digmity and respect.  Usually, I get that here-- I definitely get that from those who know me-- but every once in a while, it breaks down a bit.

Slippery Floor

The bathroom floors here are tiled, and right after maintenance cleans them, they are very slippery.  I've always thought that was dangerous for a place with so many elderly residents, but I guess management knows what it's doing.  Still, my aide Carrie slipped and fell in my bathroom this morning right after the cleaning lady did her thing in there.  Luckily, Carrie was fine.

I plan on getting a rug for my bathroom, so I won't slip in there.  The last thing I need is a broken hip.  I've slipped here, but my aides have always kept me from being hurt.  If Carrie and I had gone down together today, it would not have been pretty.

Delaying Things

I had Yodit in the morning shift today.  Unfortunately, so did everybody else in this section.  Yodit brought my breakfast later than usual, and apologized for that, saying she was the only aide working in this section, so she had to get everybody up and dressed herself.  My lunch was also later, presumably for much the same reason.

I try to establish a routine when it comes to my bathroom visits, which is really the only reason I use the call button.  A routine makes things easier for me and for my aides, since I can call them less often if I can get adjusted to a consistent schedule.  Obviously, delays throw off my plans.  I was able to get things back on track today, but I'm looking forward to the time such things won't happen in my own place.

Defensive Medicine

Saturday evening, I bumped my head getting out of my wheelchair.  It was no big deal, but my aide at the time, who seems to be a nervous young woman, reported it to the nurse, who came along to check it out.  Since then, they've taken my blood pressure every day.

It wa just a bump-- no blood, no pain after the event-- but they monitor my condition, anyway.  There's no reason to think anything is wrong, but we still do the blood pressure thing.  Yes, there is some small chance a bad thing could result from the bump, but the main reason for the follow up is to legally protect the nursing home.  It's called defensive medicine.  The doctor is obliged to order things to build a record to defend the company against possible legal action.  Such medicine, ultimately directed by lawyers, results in performing unnecssaey procedures, and drives efforts at tort reform in the medical practice area.

It's true, having my blood pressure taken is merely an annoyance, nothing more.  It's also true, I suppose, that it might actually be medically useful, but life is finally about the odds.  The odds are these tests are for legal reasons, not medical ones.