Sunday, March 13, 2016

In home caregivers

I had my assessment for getting an in-home caregiver on Wednesday March 9th, only to get a call letting me know that they thought I was too adaptable, or something like that, as if I didn't need help around my home. I might be somewhat adaptable, but that doesn't help me change the sheets on my bed after I had night sweats the previous night.

Sure I live in a one level apartment, but that doesn't mean I don't need help with housework. Vacuuming tires me out, even when I don't move the furniture to get the dog hair that is hiding under it, that tires me out even faster. That dog hair is still under the furniture, probably organising a takeover, after the carpet adopts a personality of its own.

Standing in one spot for 10 minutes or more can render my legs unusable, the muscles lock up and act like I don't remember how to walk anymore, they don't want to move properly. This makes it harder for me to actually cook meals. I'm too poor to order food delivered.

When I get over heated or stressed, I can end up with ataxia, my legs make it look like someone put the wrong sized legs on me, or like they were out on the wrong way. One time I had ataxia and my Mom said it looked like I was trying to walk with someone else's legs.

I see my significant other on the weekends, the days when he's not working at his job. The rest of the time, I'm home alone and have to rely on the bus if I needed to go anywhere. This is difficult for me in bad weather or when I need to go to one of the cities that are 15 miles away from where I live.

Coordinating the time I must leave my house so I can catch the buses for the connecting routes. What used to take me less than an hour back when I still drove could take me better than 3 hours either direction. It's exhausting.

I trip when walking in my apartment, especially when I'm tired. I lose coordination when I'm too warm, tired, or sitting for too long. My feet don't always go where I want them to, sometimes they want to sightsee as I walk down the hall. Not good when I pass the back wheel of my rollator and my foot gives it a kiss as I pass. Down I'd go.

Once, I was crossing the street on my way to the nearest bus stop and my foot or walker hit a rock and all forward motion stopped. I fell in the middle of the street, in front of oncoming traffic. I was mortified!

Does this, sound like someone who doesn't need any help?

I also need help with folding laundry. I'm a little shorter than 5' 1", I have a king size bed. Folding the sheets is a nightmare for me. The edges are longer than I am tall. Remember me mentioning night sweats?  My body doesn't care that Tom was here a day or two ago and won't be back for 4-5 more days. I'm not a Princess, but I'm not a fan of sleeping on stinky, crunchy sheets either.

I can take the dirty sheets off the bed, but putting clean ones on are more than I can do by myself. Sleeping on the naked mattress pad isn't my idea of a good time.

Did you forget that I'm living alone, with my dog 4 to 5 days a week? Taelor isn't much help in the houskeeping department, he just helps with getting things dirty/messy.

I have a load of laundry in the washing machine, I'd better get it started before it starts to stink (wet towels).

~ Jendie