by Judy Handley | Aug 5, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 218: Home Sweet Home
Date: Monday, August 5, 2024
Weather: Sunny; High Temp 83, Low 71 degrees F
Location: Back Home on Lakeview, Falmouth, MA
I don’t remember ever being so happy to be home. It was a tough ten days in North Carolina. Three nights sleeping in my sister’s living room on her recliner so I could observe her nighttime sleeping patterns, the next night in her bed while she was in ER with a fractured femur, 3 nights in an Airbnb close to the hospital so I could be with her from early morning to late at night, then 3 nights at my nephew Tommy’s home. The whole time, my back was telling me I needed to be home in my own bed. And I am getting ready to do just that.
Yesterday’s experience at the Charlotte airport was a true horror story with the worst part for me being the distance I had to walk with a small backpack on my back while pulling my carry-on bag. Once I knew my flight was cancelled, I scrambled to find another flight online while walking from one airline to another. All of my efforts were for naught as there no flights to Boston to be had. Hundreds of people were in lines half the length of the ticketing part of the airport which this morning my phone told me is 8/10ths of a mile. With Heather and Jed’s help, we were able to book one of the last seats available today, so this morning I started the trek all over again. I checked in all the way at one end of the ticketing area and then had to walk all the way to the other end because all of the other security check points were closed because there were so many people already in their lines. Then I had to walk for 20 minutes to get to my gate. I already knew my 10:59 flight was delayed until 11:42, but luckily there were no further delays. When I got to Boston, it took me only 7 minutes to get from my gate down to ground transportation and out to the scheduled bus pick-up location. The Charlotte airport has become my most unfavorite place in the world. It is just a ridiculously long walk from check in to gate. But unfortunately, when my sister is released from rehab and goes back to assisted living, I will have to fly in and out of Charlotte again. I am not looking forward to that.
I arrived in Boston at about 1:50. There was a 2 o’clock bus to Falmouth, but by the time we de-planed and I got out to the bus stop, it was about 5 after. I was too late and the next bus to Falmouth was at 4 pm. So, I texted friends to see if someone could pick me up in Sagamore. Karen Baranowski and Bruce Woodin offered, but Bruce couldn’t be there by the time I arrived. So, Karen won the lottery, battled the bridge traffic, and came to get me. Thank you, friends, for being there for me.
After playing outside with Shadow and making a trip to the supermarket, I have spent the whole evening sitting on the couch watching the Olympics with Shadow. I have missed Shadow so much and it is wonderful to be home with him.
by Judy Handley | Aug 4, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 217: Flight Cancelled, Still in North Carolina
Date: Sunday, August 4, 2024
Weather: Partly Cloudy; High Temp 89, Low 71 degrees F
Location: At Home with Nephew Tommy & Marilou in Huntersville, NC
Delayed flight, cancelled flight, so I am here still in North Carolina. I am just too tired to write. I keep falling asleep. No internet at my nephew’s so can’t send my log anyway. Will update tomorrow.
by Judy Handley | Aug 3, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 216: A Good First Full Day at Autumn Care
Date: Saturday, August 3, 2024
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Heavy Rain Late; High Temp 89, Low 69 degrees F
Location: At Home with Nephew Tommy & Marilou in Huntersville, NC
Today was a good first day for Patsy at Autumn Care. I came early to make sure she ate breakfast and at 9:30 Tommy arrived for second shift. We knew she was going to have a PT evaluation today, and we wanted to make sure one of us was here for that. Since I had an appointment with the cable television representative at Terra Bella at 10 and I also needed to shop for some night gowns and long sleeved shirts for Patsy, I left Tommy in charge. Terra Bella is no longer providing cable tv and Patsy’s service was supposed to be switched over to the new one on Thursday. But when I was there yesterday, I tried to turn on the television and there was nada. Evidently someone came on the 1st but found no one home and left. I had called and told them no one would be there, but evidently the message did not get to the technician. It is now slated to be installed this Thursday and one of Patsy’s Home Helpers will have to oversee that.
I went to Target, TJ Max, and Belk’s (I had already been to Kohl’s) and I found nothing that Patsy could use as a night gown. The only place left was Walmart and there I found success. Then it was back to Autumn Care to be greeted by Tommy who said I was going to be very happy when I walked into Patsy’s room. And, indeed, I was. I had left her in bed, still in her hospital gown. She was sitting up in a walker, dressed in her pants and one of her signature Columbia shirts. Tommy was right. I was ecstatic. Between PT and OT, they got her up and into the bathroom so she could brush her teeth at the sink and be given a wash down on the shower seat. I have been saying all week that I believe in miracles. She sat in the wheelchair all day, visited with Brian and Judy Thompson this afternoon when we stopped in the dining area where Brian made coffee for her and then we took her for a wheelchair ride all around the building. It is a building with very nice facilities. The gym is great and there is an Activity Rooms, rooms for private dining with your family, a Family Room, a lovely Living Room, and outside fountains at the end of each wing. It is clean and the staff is friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. At least it looks that way at this point. I think Patsy has the strength to do the job. We just have to make sure she has the support to keep her spirits up. Full recovery isn’t going to be easy. But I feel I have done everything I can to get the ball rolling, so late this afternoon I made a reservation to fly to Boston tomorrow afternoon. I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed with my Shadow beside me. I will return here when Patsy is transferred back to Terra Bella to oversee that transition. But for now, I really feel the need to get home and let the village here take over from here.
I am writing this at Autumn Care. It is 10 pm and there is a torrential down pour outside. It has been raining like this for 30 minutes. I keep thinking there will be a break. If not, I guess I’ll have to brave the rain to get to the car, but I am not sure I could see to drive. It is raining that hard.
by Judy Handley | Aug 2, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 215: Successful Transfer from Hospital to Rehab
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Weather: Sunny and Hot, Thunderstorm Early Evening; High Temp 94, Low 71 degrees F
Location: At Home with Nephew Tommy & Marilou in Huntersville, NC
When I arrived at the hospital this morning, Patsy was so much better than yesterday. The oxygen had been removed, which was a really good sign, but she was just sitting there looking at her breakfast tray but not attempting to eat. I helped feed her at first, and then turned that job over to her. Maybe it is just sitting in a hospital bed that makes her believe she can’t feed herself. At least, I hope that is all it is. Then the hospital doctor came in and announced that she was being released today. He explained that when she spiked a fever during the early hours of yesterday, they cultured a sample and found she had a raging urinary tract infection. That helps explain her behavior yesterday. Knowing she would be leaving the hospital today, I rushed to Terra Bella to pick up her clothes and other things she will need in rehab. While there, I got the call that she would be picked up between 12 and 1 to be taken to rehab, so I high tailed it back. They came around 12:15 and by 1:30 she was settled nicely in Autumn Care. Tommy came and sat in on a 3:30 meeting I had with the Business Manager, Facilities Director, and the Social Worker. The administrative staff here seems really good, but the more hours I sit here, the more I see that the floor personal are not as responsive. They are supposed to check on clients every two hours, but that just hasn’t happened. If Patsy would push the red button for help, I think they would come, but she will not do that. So, I am glad I have people lined up to be with her for a part of the day and overnight when I leave, hopefully on Sunday. The companions can advocate for her.
I have decided to go to my nephew Tommy’s for the night. It is much closer than Mooresville where I was going to stay. I am going to check on flights home when I get to Tommy’s tonight. My friend, Lynne, who has been with Shadow for the past week, had to leave this morning. I only got to visit with her for one day before I left to come here, fully planning to return on Tuesday. But here I am and Lynne is now in New York visiting with family there before returning to Michigan. Somehow, I hope to be able to visit with her before she returns to New Zealand. Lynne, thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking care of my Shadow while I had to remain here in North Carolina. You are the best!
by Judy Handley | Aug 1, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 214: Roller Coaster Ride
Date: Thursday, August 1, 2024
Weather: Sunny and Hot; High Temp 94, Low 73 degrees F
Location: At Home in an Airbnb in Mooresville, NC
Down–Today was a day of ups and downs. I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride. When I made the choice of a rehab facility, I assumed that was all set. But at 8 am this morning I got a call from the hospital Case Manager telling me that because of the kind of insurance Patsy has, it could be four or five days before she gets approval. My heart sunk. She said not to worry as even after Patsy is released from the hospital, she can stay there until her insurance company approves the rehab. Evidently Blue Cross-Blue Shield Medicare Advantage is just very slow.
Down–I got to the hospital just before 9 am and found Patsy in a dark room, fast asleep, with her breakfast tray untouched. I found the floor nurse to ask what was happening. Evidently after I left last night, she got even more agitated than she had been most of the evening and the further they go into the night, the more agitated she became. I was told that she did not sleep a wink. But during the 7 am change of shifts, the daytime floor nurse tried to convince her that she really needed to sleep. He tried to get her to eat breakfast first, but she refused to eat. Then she did go to into a deep sleep.
Up–I was there for an hour when Kate, the case manager, burst into the room with a great big smile. After our earlier phone call, she called the Administrative Director of Autumn Care facilities in North Carolina and she dug deeper into Patsy’s insurance and found that her particular Blue Cross-Blue Shield Advantage is administered by naviHealth. Kate had no idea why, but I didn’t care because they approved Patsy’s placement with one phone call from the administrator.
Down–So we were back to being released late today and moving to Autumn Care tomorrow. But not unless Patsy perked up a bit. I then learned that not only did she not sleep last night, she spiked a fever and had to be given Tylenol. And her oxygen level is still continually dipping even while she is being given oxygen. No one has any idea why. So now the doctor is saying that she has to stay in the hospital at least until the issues resolve.
Up—One of Patsy’s Home Helper companions came to spend time with Patsy and brought her flowers. That perked Patsy up, and Brenda was able to get her to eat her whole lunch and assisted with her physical therapy regimen. She did all of the exercises twice and got out of bed twice to stand on one foot. Her blood sugar has finally normalized. And I got her to eat her entire dinner.
When I left tonight she was sleeping restlessly. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring and no idea if she might be released tomorrow or Saturday. So we are playin
by Judy Handley | Jul 31, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 213: The Search for a Rehab Facility
Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Weather: Sunny Day, Rainy Evening; High Temp 90, Low 70 degrees F
Location: At Home in an Airbnb in Mooresville, NC
Today was all about the search for a rehabilitation facility where my sister can go when she is released from the hospital. I have heard people talk about going to rehab for years and getting skilled nursing care there, but I truly never realized that being in a short-term rehab facility is often in the same building as a long-term nursing home. (Note to my nursing friends—Am I right about this?) I know you must be thinking, where have I been that I didn’t know this? Wherever, I now know. At least in this area, every rehab skilled nursing care rehabilitation facility is in the same building as long-term nursing care, and they are not separated. Depending on room availability you could go in for rehab but be in a wing with all long-term nursing care residents. Some of these homes have only private rooms, but some have shared rooms. Some come with television and phone service, but many have television, but you have to have a phone line installed. Some take Medicare Advantage and some do not. And unfortunately, the facility I wanted for my sister does not accept Medicare Blue (Blue Cross-Blue Shield) as it is an Advantage program. When I asked them if we could pay cash, they said they had never been asked that question before. But no, they have no private pay rooms.
Today, my crash course in local rehab facilities led me to only two choices. I visited both and then it was obvious that there was only one choice. One facility had only double rooms available and there is no way I would put my sister in that situation. So, the choice is made. Patsy will be released from the hospital tomorrow if her oxygen level normalizes and she will go to a place called Autumn Care. If the oxygen level does not normalize, she will be in the hospital until it does or until they identify the cause. I know her oxygen level was normal all day yesterday prior to the surgery because I watched the monitor all day long.
Tonight, I had a nice diversion. Patsy’s son-in-law came to be with her at dinner time and my nephew Tommy and friends Brian and Judy Thompson invited me out to dinner. I had Mediterranean Red Snapper and it was absolutely delicious. Afterwards, it was back to the hospital for a couple of hours of breathing exercises that the nurse asked me do with Patsy before I left for the night. What I discovered is that she can exhale just fine, but she inhales very lightly.
My goal is to get Patsy settled in rehab as soon as possible, hire the extra help that is going to be needed, and then fly home on Sunday. I would then return when she transitions from rehab back to Terra Bella. But that is just my goal. Who knows what will happen tomorrow to adjust that goal?
