Wednesday, August 6, 2008

a day in my life as a caregiver

It all started out as a normal day. Both are sleeping, when I arrived at work, which I tend to call my home. I get the first couple hours to myself, I even gave in to be tired and lied down on my bed for a few minutes, of course I have the monitor on.
Bob wakes up and eats breakfast, and then wants his dark glasses, and there are no where to be found. I am looking all over, but to no luck can I find them.
He then tells me that. He is gonna go check out the basement. I said "would you like me to do that for you?, I don't mind" Bob said. " No I will do it, it will be good for my legs, if I make it" What is he suggesting, he might do? Fall down the stairs? What am I suppose to say? I just watch him go down, and he gets down, and back up just fine.
Sandy is sleeping pretty late, it's almost 1:00 pm, and I am about to wake her up, but she gets up on her own. I get her settled in her chair, and get her something to eat. After she ate, she was snoozing in her chair. I tried and tried to get her to lie down on the couch. I need to go to the store, and can't do it, if she is sitting up. Well she keeps telling me no. So I sit in there with for a while, and then get up and keep checking on her. All of a sudden, she looks like she is gonna throw up, but she is sleeping. So I run to get something to catch it with, and when I come back. There is a huge mess on her face and her clothes. She is still sleeping, but actually at the point. I think she is dead. She is glassy eye, cocked over to the side of the chair and not answering me when I call her. I am really scared, I checked her for a pulse but couldn't find it. I thought for sure she was dead. I am yelling for Bob, but he can't hear me because of his old age. I finally get his attention. I got myself so worked up, he can't understand me. I finally get him to look at her. I finally noticed that her chest is moving, so not so scared. She finally wakes up, and wonders why we are messing with her. She didn't remember what had went on. We ask why she didn't answer and she says, "cause I didn't want to. Then she says she has to go the bathroom.

So I help her in in the bathroom, and put a clean nightgown on her. Then all of a sudden, she is throwing up again, and acting real confused and dizzy. So her husband calls 911 and about six firemen, emergency guys come in the house. I get her to stand up from the toilet, and I am using all my strength to prevent her from falling to the floor. She wouldn't or couldn't walk to the firemen. A strong one had to carry her out, and then put her on the stretcher.
Her husband isn't dressed, they asked me if I was riding with her. I said yea, and jumped in the front of the ambulance. On the way, I thought opps, Guess I should have asked her husband. He did say he would drive himself there.

We get to the hospital and she don't know why everyone is making such a big fuss over. Her husband and their son show up. We are there for about five hours. All the tests came back ok, except for a minor infection. They said with her age, it can make a person act weird.
So we get her back home, and she had a light dinner. Then I had to tell Bob, that we were totally out of milk, can I go to the gas station and get some. I didn't want to go to the store, it was too late. He says sure take all the money you need. I am thinking. hmmmmm the mortgage is due!! haha just kidding.
About 10 pm, he says why don't we all go to bed. It's been a long hard emotional day for you. It sure was. I have been working for them for about 15 months now, and I have come to really love and respect them. I know they have lived a long life but not ready to see one them die. I have never seen anyone die. I have experienced a lot of my clients dieing. but none that I have spent any major time with. The funny thing is that she will probably not remember any of this. I guess that is for the best.
Names have been changed to protect clients privacy.

One final note, my friend Rachel's Dad died, last night at the age of 75 years old. She said, they all got to say their goodbyes and was there, singing to him when he took his last breath. Good bye Rachel's Dad!! :(

No comments: