My Aide called this evening, she was unable to come to help change my husband....so that left me alone. I did manage okay, however, if anyone whose had experience, I would welcome any suggestions for next time. I will have the Hospice Aides show me how they would make a change alone on Monday.
Kadee, I hope I can help since my husband is also bedbound and the Hospice have missed days also. The first thing I do is make sure the bed is all the way up and the head is back.. so he is laying straight If you are on the right side of the bed cross his right leg to be over the left...my husband is very rigid so I have to give pain medicine 45 minutes prior to attempting this and of course if you have a foley bag unhook it and lay it on the bed of where he will be turned so it doesn't pull. Tell him you need to turn him ...try to have him look to the rail on the left side and gently place one hand behind his hip bone and the other where his shoulder his and try to have him hold to the rail....sometimes I have to pull the draw sheet al little towards you first so he is not to far over too close when turning him and if your husband is rigid like mine he will actually stay over ..and just talk slowly to him and say you are cleaning him up..you may have to use one hand to hold over and clean with the other. I always have everthing I need right on the tray table extra gloves and all and the waste basket right there.
I am sure you know how to place the diaper and chucks rolled to get it under him while he is over once this is done I slowly take his hand off the rail and pick his right leg up to uncross it and then get the bed bag so it is back on the other side...I then go to the other side of the bed and because you have rolled the chucks and diaper under him it is very easy to turn him just a little to pull it out on the other side.
I do this alone always on the weekend since I have no help and of course if he makes a BM when the aide leaves...since Hospice only comes from 730am to 9am
kadee for myself its important to raise my DH legs into a bent postion prior to changing. you can roll them a bit easier in this position rather than stiff and straight. i lock my arms under this knees while up and lift slightly or roll a bit to put new pads under and depends and work pants on/off . for the uppper body if you have shirts that have more stretch in them it really helps to be able to work them off over the arms and head while lying down. cotton shirts are harder to get on/off as they dont give as much. i have some of the golf type front button sport shirts with alot of stretch for this purpose. i give bed baths often like this when hospice doesnt come. your hospice folks can help you with ways to move them too.
Oh I forgot to mention I cut up the back of undershirts and that way it is easy to slip on one arm ..then over the head and the other arm and my DH wears hospital gowns.The only time I put pants on is when I took him out in the geri chair onto the patio...getting him up in the hoyer lift was too much for him...since now he is in alot of pain
Thanks angelb & divvi for your suggestions. I also had the Hospice girls show me how to use a draw sheet if needed. He also wore the tee-shirts cut up the back, however, for the last couple months, we have been putting hospital gowns on him....his arms will not raise due to the atrophy. Thanks again.
It looks like we are at a crossroad. DW is no longer able to stand up. She is strong enough to fight or push back when trying to turn her in bed. I am not sure if I should try to get her up each day moving forward or not. I do not think by myself at this stage I can change the Depends. In fact she has never actually peed in them she has always complained about it hurthing her and she will hold it till I get her on the potty chair.
Moorsb: I donated all pull ups as we now use only diapers. Potty chair is gone also. I have learned to place blue pads and roll dh over to change. It aint fun but what is with this d@@@ disease.
I am still waiting for her to pee, she has gone all afternoon and is now in bed. The main issue in bed is she resist being moved, she pushes back and fights from doing any forced movement yet can not move her body as needed.
I don't know how the system works where you live. If it were here in Vancouver, Canada, I would phone her doctor, and he would know how to access help for you. Home Care? Hospice - or is it too early for Hospice?
She is on Hospice, they are available by phone, till Monday. The nurse on call has no informaion on her case. She finally went this am and I the new depends on half way.
Does anyone know of a soft plastic board or something to help keep them in place as you roll them on their side? I am thinking something with strap that you tie to the rails and holds them on their side so that you can get underneath and clean them up?
The only things I know of are a slide sheet that allows you to move them more easily up, or down, or towards you, and a lift belt. Whether a lift belt allows you to fasten them to the rails as you suggest, I don't know. I'll try googling the info. as soon as I post this.
Here's a "gait belt" that looks as if you could buckle it to the bed rail. Now the trick is to get one on Christmas Day. Unless you have a Medical Supplies type drug store in your area that is open today (many stores do have limited hours and possibly they would deliver) Or do you have a similar belt of your own that would work?
I am thinking something 2' long to help support the back and hold her in place, but shorter than the lift sheet, which is now dirty and I have no way to get that out from under her.
In the past, I've tried firm pillows, or a body pillow (too soft) and neither worked. Another person to help is the best, of course. Well, how about a 2' board and attach your own straps? ropes? belts? to anchor it to the bed rail. I've got a two-foot plastic kick board in the truck of my car for the swimming pool, but if I tried to rig that up in your situation, I'd find it tricky and I'd use two lengths of ropes, very tricky. Is your wife overweight? If so, that would add to the problem. Moorsb, I really think you should have a human being give your a hand. If I were there, I would.
i dont use a slide sheet and am able to move my DH. swing the legs to the side of the bed and sit her into a sitting position at edge of bed without getting her up if you cant stand her up. then you can pull the bedding out from behind her. also when she is lying down lifting the knees as close to the buttocks as possible and you can clean pretty well and replace a throw away pad by pushing them to the side by the knees once they are up. all else fails, try to roll her enough with knees up to slip a clean towel under her and pull up the depends with knees flexed. at least she will be lying on clean bedding til hospice comes. get them to show you how to move her.
Moorsb, I turn dh toward me.I am able to have rolled sheets and pads so that when I grab other side of pad he turns to me and I'm able to pull rolled items from other side of him.I have also raised hospital bed as high as goes so I don't strain my back and yes position knees. Good luck
In case no one has told all of you recently, YOU ARE ALL AMAZING PEOPLE!!! As I read your posts I think of my DH who will be going to an ALF for 3 days so I get a little break. I almost feel guilty, or least wish I could lend a hand to help you all out!!!! Your loved ones are so blessed to have you. Thank you for encouraging me that I can do this!
I know how you feel having to do this by yourself. Fortunately for me, one of our members suggested a nylon pull sheet. I went onto the internet and found one and sent for information. They sent me one and I can't do anything without it. It is a sturdy nylon sheet that I tuck under dh prior to moving/changing him. Then I can use the draw sheet a lot easier. As my dh moves so much when in bed, he goes down to the bottom so often and the pull sheet does not go with him. So I put the nylon sheet under him, replace the draw sheet, lift the leg end of the bed as high as it will go, go to the head of the bed and pull the draw sheet. DH just slides up to the top. It takes practice! Then lower the bed and remove the nylon sheet. Even with the sheet, I have a problem turning dh to change/bathe him. He is a dead weight and moves one side ok but really is more difficult to move to the other side for some reason. I use the Depends Adjustables with a Moliform liner as dh has heavy urine due to prostate. I open the Depends and put on half way and pull up between legs, then quickly fasten it so it does not get lost when turning. go to the other side and turn dh and pull the Depends through, quickly fasten side. Then I straighten him out and unfasten tabs and place the Moliform across his penis from side to side tucking the sides under and pull the front of the Depends in place and secure with tabs. At night, I use two moliforms, one inside the length of the Depends and the other across the front as mentioned. Most times, the bedding is dry in the mornings. Sometimes dh will hold the rail, but most times he will not. When they get very stiff, it just takes time and energy. Wish the lift could be used but we tried and could not find a way. Sometimes dh rolls back and I put a pillow where I can to keep him in place.
oh, my dear friends, how long ago this all seems for me. And it was less than seven months ago that my husband died. The sliding him to the top of the bed, and pulling and tugging and turning.. it seems a lifetime ago. And I am posting this to say that THERE IS AN AFTER! as Mary always says. This will not go on forever...