Washingtonians

[Ogress]

If Honeysuckle Hills and I do a road trip after tax season, who wants to be visited?

 

[KMoran]

heres another one. http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/hab/2925611192.html

 

[Ogress]

Thanks! My friend is near Snohomish, so I'm sending someone to pick up that walker for her! All you BYC peeps are awesome! I'll check out that help too.

 

[KMoran]

There is a bunch on there if you dont get that one let me know and I can go into town and look at Goodwill. They ALWAYS have them )

 

[HoneysuckleHills]

She probably needs a shower chair, don't you think?
Mine is in excellent condition and extra stable.
I'm pretty sure it's been returned from the last loan out.
I'll check my storage unit.
She might need a stability bar installed next to her tub/shower.
It helps a lot getting in and out.
And, I couldn't agree more, it is cruel.
Start with the doctor. Tell him/her what you see and insist that he/she makes changes including pushing the insurance company.
She needs an advocate.
Call me if you want to discuss.

I finally got out to visit my friend with the brain tumor. They released her from the hospital a few days ago. I'm shocked, stunned. Her doctors/insurance company will be recieving a few calls. She lives alone and cannot even stand up by herself! She has friends and neighbors taking turns staying with her and helping her with everything. In the middle of the night she got up to use the toilet and did not wake the person staying over; she toppled over and landed upside-down in the bath tub! She has thrush from all the antibiotics they pumped her full of and a severe rash over her entire body. She is puffy, hot, red, in severe pain, and so heavily drugged that she was not even coherent when they sent a physical therapist over to work with her today. It was the therapists first visit. The therapist was asking her questions that seemed to imply she was like this BEFORE the surgery, that the weakness was caused by her lupus and fibromyalgia. I let the therapist know this is one of the strongest women I know - she remodeled her own home by herself - heavy work too, new kitchen and deck too, and she did it all herself. She has an amazing garden too. She is not someone to sit around and feel sorry for herself.

I was trying to help her out a bit and was shocked because after only 3 weeks, she has almost no muscle tone. She should not be home. She should be in rehab until she is strong enough to walk to the bathroom on her own. The therapist said she will need to learn how to use a walker, but expects it will take weeks for her insurance to approve one. I am going to go to the senior center and see if I can locate one. I have already found a commode with arms that fits over the toilet so that she will have something to steady herself on.

Why would they let someone in that condition go home? They put big yellow bands on her arm that say "FALL RISK" and they sent her home with NO AID!

Why is it that we value $$$ over lives? This is cruel!

 

[FlyRobinFly]

I finally got out to visit my friend with the brain tumor.

That is so awful! She is very lucky though, to have you as a friend and an advocate.

 

[HoneysuckleHills]

Hallerlake: Let's see if JB responds when she takes over the night shift.
I'm calling it a night and will check in tomorrow morning.

RonB: You feeling better? Wanna join us?
Anyone else?
Don't be shy - especially new peeps.
It's lots of fun to meet in person!
I'll look for a spot near Bothell to make it easy for JB.....

 

[renart]

Woo...evening everyone. Fighting a loverly sinus infection/allergies today. Feel a sneeze comin, and it stops, backs up and lets the liquid squeeze out my eyes, a most excellent feeling indeed. We have been busy here, with the weather being nice the last few days, I went out to the garden, yes, with my bath towel hanky in tow, and planted broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce starts that were ready to go in the hoop house, added our organic slug bait, and will try to get them covered up tomorrow. The glass greenhouse is just chock a block full of starts, and I have 1200 onions that need to be planted before Saturday.

Marty, one of our buff orp girlies was almost gone the other day with a coyote. Rikke (DW) has been working on her daily to get the holes on the mend, the large tear on her back to start a healing, and the hole back by her vent closed up. She is doing well, and should be moved out into the larger brooder / apartment, I made for her in the garage. Going to go get some of that closed cell 1 1/2 inch foam sheeting to make sure she is warm out there. The cement floor would not be good for her to repair in. Made a mobile run for her to be in outside when one of us it out there with her, she seems to like being with the other girls, but, not being WITH them for her own safety. Rikke checked out Marty's leg today, it does not seem broken, she seems to think it is muscle or nerve damage that is not yet healed. Rikke seems to have a knack for taking care of the animals here, giving the goats, and the chickens their shots when needed, and when vitally necessary for them to heal. Pen-G makes a mess of a chicken's poo .. not like it isn't already messy.

Here is a pic of Marty out in her mobile shelter, enjoying the outdoors.

 

[Ogress]

She probably needs a shower chair, don't you think?
Mine is in excellent condition and extra stable.
I'm pretty sure it's been returned from the last loan out.
I'll check my storage unit.
She might need a stability bar installed next to her tub/shower.
It helps a lot getting in and out.
And, I couldn't agree more, it is cruel.
Start with the doctor. Tell him/her what you see and insist that he/she makes changes including pushing the insurance company.
She needs an advocate.
Call me if you want to discuss.

I have a shower chair too, but right now she can't get up the stairs where the shower is, so it is sponge-baths for a while longer. Her friend carried her up the stairs last night, and that is how she got into trouble because the friend who was sleeping in another room did not wake when she did. We were trying to clean her hair a bit today without getting the incision wet. The tumor was in her frontal lobe so they cut across the top, ear to ear and peeled her scalp down. They only removed hair along the incision. We are mad that no one braided her long hair out of the way first, so it is getting tangled and icky on the back of her head. Looks better now.

 

[Ogress]

That is so awful! She is very lucky though, to have you as a friend and an advocate.

My mom was an occupational therapist in California for years. She is helping me with some letters. We need to check out the law. Where she worked, they were not allowed to release a patient home unless they could walk 30 steps unassisted and could use the toilet, this is true even if they lived with a caring spouse because the spouse is not trained in how to assist. I'm so shocked because Kathy can't even stand up without help, let alone take a single step! Today is her 49th birthday. What a sucky birthday. I brought her magazines before I realised she can hardly open her eyes, and can't even talk on the phone. Her friends from Kenmore are driving up every day to stay with her. They are older and retired, and I think it is wearing on them to be gone from home every day. Her neighbor takes over when she returns from work.