Provides tips and insights regarding care and treatment often prescribed by healthcare providers for home recovery.
My current project is gathering information to write a book on skincare and wound management. Therefore, wound and skincare are on my mind. One of the most important practices I have is to check my husband’s skin regularly for any signs of skin breakdown. If I see the first hint of any break in the […]
Watch for Breaks in Skin Read More »
Have you noticed how difficult it can be to have a sensitive conversation with another person without being misunderstood? Why is that? Difficult conversations Today our primary mode of communication seems to be through text messaging or tweets. We use short abbreviated bursts of information delivered remotely. Texts and tweets allow us to keep our distance
Help with Difficult Conversations Read More »
One of the joys of having a progressive disease is that everything changes. Just as you adjust to one change, something happens and the “fix” you had in place is no longer working. As Lynn’s caregiver, I have not found his physician to be particularly helpful in warning me about things to come. If I
What Goes In Must Come Out Read More »
I had a scare this week thinking that I was about to experience the joy of food poisoning. As I was giving Lynn his bath, I started feeling really nauseous. Then my stomach started burning and feeling crampy and I started sweating—all the tell-tale signs of food poisoning when you’ve recently spent hours sampling leftover
I Can’t Just Get Sick Read More »
No, I’m not talking about the “take no prisoners” rules but instead am referring to rules associated with social engagements. This is the holiday season and there are family gatherings and parties at work or at friends’ homes that are cherished events and a great way to keep those social connections. However, participating can be
Rules of Engagement Read More »
I am obsessed with Lynn’s skin. Many years ago I worked as a home health nurse and I saw some terrible bedsores that started out small and then progressed to craters. Some of the patients had their entire backsides destroyed. Most of the breakdown, I expect, was due to inattention but some were also due
Struggles with Skin Care Read More »
One of the most difficult aspects of caring for someone who has limited movement is getting them comfortable in bed; at least it is for me. When I lie down at night, I know it takes a few moves here and there just to find that right position of comfort that allows me to settle
Helping Him Get Comfortable in Bed Read More »
We had a great fortune this year to rent a beach house for our summer vacation that included a handicap-accessible pool. The pool was large enough for our entire family to be in it (seven of us) but small enough that by afternoon the water temperature was around the bath-water range. While some people might
Would Hydrotherapy Be an Option? Read More »
Personally, I have never been good at exercising. I hate it. I might feel much better if I stayed with it a while but I’m so out of shape that I feel awful doing it. Not so, for Lynn. He has always been good about doing some type of exercise almost every day. The major difference now
My Role as a Physical Therapist Read More »
Have you ever stopped to think about how many choices you make in a day? Mine start before I open my eyes Wonder if Lynn will know I’m awake if I pretend to still be asleep? What time do I really have to get up to be ready by xxx? Do I want to get up now or just
