I've run into (another) situation that is new territory, and seems complex and challenging. I know I need to get some help to manage Meagan's situation. There are a number of needs:
1. Her needs for medication and nausea management
2. Her personal care needs
3. Her need for 24x7 monitoring
4. Support with dressing and transport to and from appointments
5. My needs for relief and sleep.
Meeting those needs is complicated by:
a. her desire for dignity and privacy
b. her lack of awareness of the seriousness of her condition and declining cognitive ability
c. her medical condition and lack of personal mobility
d. her need for bathroom support in the middle of the night
e. her talking in her sleep and movement - preventing me from sleeping
f. hospice inability to enter picture until treatment is complete (brain radiation)
That's only a partial list. The pre-hospice nurse told me to just focus one day at a time - but I can't help trying to project and figure out what I need and what she will accept. Given I am sleep deprived as heck this morning it tends to drive your thinking about solutions.
It probably makes the most sense in the interim to get an able bodied day aide who can help me get her dressed and to and from her appointments. Insurance won't pay for this, so it's an out of pocket expense, but one well worth it. The pre-hospice nurse seems committed to helping me figure out the medication stuff with Dr Kaplan. And I can always have her suck on some lollipops. Although I have to say, she was pretty wacko yesterday - her tolerance for THC is pretty low, hahahaha.
No comments:
Post a Comment