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caregiver blog

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It has been over a month.

This transition to widowhood has been easier than expected.    That is because the good bye was a long one.  3 months before William died, my son, had come down to visit.  He told me that William was declining and suggested that I look into hospice.  I wasn't ready for that.  But it got me into really thinking about life without William.   So my good bye was a long one.   Then the month that I put him into hospice was the real  start of the end.  Everyday was like the last time that I might see

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

It is Done.

William passed yesterday 9-18-18 at 1:06PM.  William had been in hospice for 1 month.   This has been the longest month of my life.  I am so relieved that the vigil is finally over.  Here it is 2:40AM and I am up.  I am so used to getting up and checking on William. I want to thank all of you for being there for me. I want to share that the stroke board has been a lifesaver for me since William's stroke 10 years ago. I would suggest that anyone who needs hospice utilize it.  I tho

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

A bed sore

It has been three weeks.   I cannot believe it!   A bed sore!   William has never had a bed sore.  But this just lying on the bed for 3 weeks has done it.  I have been changing the underpad often.  It is difficult to change by myself.  I have called hospice and informed them that I will need help twice a day to change and clean him.  They have agreed to do that.  It is 3:28AM .   I have been up since 2AM.  I got the kitchen all cleaned and cleaned the floor of the living room.  William is u

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

The end is near.

This is a difficult time.  I thought that I was getting hospice involved early.  But, William declined rapidly.  My best guess is that William may pass today or very soon.  I was so afraid that I would get up and find William gone.  I kept getting up every hour.   I am not doing my ritual gym thing this morning.  I want to be close by.  He is calm and peaceful.  He is not agitated like he has been. I actually did go to the gym..  Just later. This will be a long and difficult vigil.  William

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

Our next step - Hospice

Well, I finally made the decision to talk to hospice.  William has been declining.  He sleeps alot and eats very little.  He has alot of confusion and sees people that are not there.    The hospice agency was great.  They have suggested that I get a hospital bed and set it up in the living room.  I will be getting rid of the couch and recliner.   They provide all of his meds, bed liners, vinyl gloves, wipes, lots of things.   I will get a nurse once a week and CNA 3 times a week to bathe Wi

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

2018. A new year

This year makes the 10 the year since William's stroke.  He is declining.  I mean he sleeps more and gets more confused often.  Cognitive abilities are declining.  I have not been bringing him to the pool.  He just does not want to go.  I no longer bring him out to eat.  He just gets too confused.  He constantly tells me that he just does not understand.  He is getting more incontinent.  So, I do more laundry.  He usually lets me put him in the shower.  But that is a chore.  He hates it.  He usu

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

Sara Stedy

I saw the Sara Stedy device used at the pool the other day.  The caregiver told me that it really saved her back.  It looks interesting.  It costs about $1400.00.  I have not done any research on it yet.  But, I just wanted to put it out there as an idea for others.  Let me know if you have used it.  I will do some more research and post more later.

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

Hurrican Harvey

William and I are a few of the fortunate ones.  We are high and dry.  Our little area was spared.  I am so glad.  I do not know how I would have handled having to evacuate with William.  I am very thankful.  We have been watching the news round the clock and it has been scary.  Today for the first time, I drove out to the grocery store.  The store was out of bread and eggs. Some of the produce was not available.  But, all in all it was a nice little outing.  I have been spending my time walking

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

Hurrican Harvey

William and I are a few of the fortunate ones.  We are high and dry.  Our little area was spared.  I am so glad.  I do not know how I would have handled having to evacuate with William.  I am very thankful.  We have been watching the news round the clock and it has been scary.  Today for the first time, I drove out to the grocery store.  The store was out of bread and eggs. Some of the produce was not available.  But, all in all it was a nice little outing.  I have been spending my time walking

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

Homebound

William's new schedule.  William is now home bound.  I do not take him out.  It has been summer and miserably hot here is Texas.   He is refusing the pool workout.  So no pool for the summer.  I may try again after the kids go back to school.  But, it depends on William.  He gets so ugly when he does not want to do something.  I fortunately go to the gym every morning by 5 A M.  I get my swimming done and yoga.  I usually get a 3 hour respite from caregiving.  I get home and take the dogs to the

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

8 years as a caregiver

Time flies...having fun or not. William is still not able to walk on his own. We do make it to the pool about 4 times a week. I have decreased our workout time to 30 minutes. We used to do an hour. That is about all that we do. Our day goes as follows: William gets up around 6 am and Wa Him to the recliner. He takes his morning meds and has something to drink. I get him back to bed and I get to the YMCA and start my morning routine. I usually do laps for 30 minutes and then take a water c

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

Retirement

I have been retired for 5 months. It is funny but I do not have time to miss work. People ask me occasionally if zi miss work. I tell them that I am too busy taking care of me husband to miss work. I find that I am, able to keep myself, William and our three dogs in better health. I make it to the gym daily for myself. Usually 3 hours per day on me. Them an hour walk in the park for the dogs. Then 1 hour if water therapy for William I am tired by afternoon. I get the house and laund

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

4th of July

Today is the 4th of July. I was going to take William to the pool. But, I am having second thoughts about that. It is very early in the morning 5AM. Yes, I am still waking up early. William has been acting up at the pool. I don't think that I want to put up with that today. I have explained to him that I do water therapy for him for his benefit and not mine. Yesterday, He did nothing. I had him stay home all day and he was fine. I went to the dog park and exercised the dogs and then w

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

Retirement

I have been retired for 9 days. I thought that it would be harder. It was for the first 4 days. But this week it is easier. I am a caregiver and therefore I do not have as much free time as the usual retired person has. I feel like I am crazy. I have always been an early person. I am still waking up at 4AM. But, I have been using my time and going to the gym. For a couple of days William actually was up andI took him and got his therapy done. But, then he started to rebel. So I jus

ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam