It has been a long time since I visited this site. Joan, I'm so proud of you for going to Washington for us and how well you were received. When I was last here DH had been dx with dementia but it was mild and when I read all the things that could happen I was so discouraged and afraid so I had to stop reading. I don't know if any of the same people are still here or not. Dh was dx in 2007 and we have been lucky it has been a very slow decline. Now we seem to be racing along the downward slope. He needs help showering, dressing and doesn't know what to really do. He enjoys sitting in front of the tv watching his videos over and over. Some programs on a disc he doesn't like and will talk back to them. He is somewhat incontinent and has a hard time with the wiping. When he uses the toilet he misses sometimes and the smell is what I have the problem with. I have COPD and it has caused me to be unable to tolerate smells most people aren't bothered by. This seems like such a small problem with everything else going on but it is really causing problems. I have a mop just for the bathroom. I have ammonia, bleach, baking soda and vinegar and several room sprays. The smell just lingers. It is also on him. I have him in Depends but it is so hard for him to get undressed several times a day. I have started using the Depend shields in the underwear and if I catch him quick, I can pull that one out and insert a new shield. My question is what do you clean your bathrooms with if any of you have had this happen? I would like for him to go to daycare several days a week but he said no. Sitting in front of the tv all day can't be good and I wish he had people to talk to and interact with. He does have a hard time finding his words so I don't know how much sense he would make at conversation. Lately about 2 pm he comes in and says he is going to bed. I make him wait until we eat dinner, then he goes down between 5-6 and sleeps all night. Once he insisted and went to bed early. When he got up he thought it was morning and wanted to stay up. I don't want to do that again. Any help you can give would be truly appreciated
Hello, One day. Yes, the good old Poop Patrol. I used to think that if I had to smell poop one more time I was just going to go out of my mind. You can put Vicks Vapo-rub on your nose, or put alcohol on your nose. If need be, wear a mask over that. Now that we are getting into better weather, keep the bathroom window at least cracked, if you can. My best bet for cleaning in the bathroom was white vinegar. It was the only thing that got rid of the urine smell. I used a little room spray when I thought I needed to, but I'm not really a fan of a bunch of chemicals in my house. For cleaning, I had some boxes of gloves, a lot of wet wipes, and paper towels. I kept a big supply of plastic bags--either the grocery bags or a box of small wastebasket liners. I would don my gloves, a mask if needed (sometimes I was almost throwing up from the smell), and just clean whatever needed it…bagging up everything in the plastic bag and putting it out in the big garage trash can immediately. I liked the wipes and sprays that were specifically for cleaning the patient after incontinence. I tried different ones, but some really seemed to cut that lingering smell, not just mask it. I used Amazon Prime for ordering things to be delivered in two days with free shipping. It added up, but it was worth it to me--I couldn't really leave him to be going out to drug stores and medical supply houses.
I just went on Amazon to find my favorite peri-care product. It was Aloe Vesta Perineal/Skin Cleanser. 8 oz. bottle/pack of 3. They make a foam, too, but I always used the liquid in the spray bottle. I used a lot of that stuff, with a carton of plain, dry disposable washcloths that I bought. He never got diaper rash or irritated skin, so I never had to use any of the skin barrier/diaper rash types of products. Remember to have a big bottle of lotion on hand, too. If the poop dries on him, you should be able to get it off by using a lot of lotion to soften it so you can wipe him clean.
Others may be able to find the incontinence threads and bring them to the top for you. I think it was Divvi who used to be called the Queen of Poop or something like that. (Lucky her!)
Incontinence thread is coming up:) lots of helpful ideas. Yes nominated poop Queen of course nobody wants that title. But being honest and upfront about real issues can help someone else not feel so overwhelmed. It was lucky me no one else owned up to taking it from me!! Some of the cat/ dog enzyme cleaners from Pet co may help cut odors.
My DH is now totally bedridden but the stage that "One Day At A Time" is in right now is epic in my memory! Toileting grown ups is not for the faint of heart. And it is not understood by those who do not live in this crazy ALZ world. WE are here for you OSAAT. :) I totally endorse Elizabeth*9/2/14's product called Aloe Vesta. I love the foam. Now here is where I will get icky. The foam makes wiping the "stuck on" poo much easier to remove. Less harsh wiping and less time wiping/smelling. I find it really reduces odor, you know the odor that seems to linger even though you know you have done a stellar job of wiping and cleaning. I am still using Aloe Vesta, along with soap and water. My health care aides love it, too. I am going out to purchase some more today. I get it at the surgical supply store and now I have new friends at the surgical supply place. I am in there on a regular basis checking out the products. I have the day off of work today! Yay. Will stop in to surgical supply, get Aloe Vesta, and overnight pads. Most of my work colleagues are preparing for Easter by doing holiday things. This is where a bit of a disconnect happens when you continue to work in the "real world"! Them: "Hey, what are your plans for the holiday?" Me: "Oh, just staying home and getting things done, you know, a quiet holiday." But the true answer is: "Oh, stocking up on incontinence products, making sure that I turn DH every two hours to prevent pressure sores, and working non stop to prevent my house from smelling like a latrine!" I will say that I think the toileting is a bit easier now that DH is bedridden. At least he is not walking around with a poo in his pants and sitting on the furniture or having those poo's roll down a pant leg to be found when you least expect it (it's happened!) or have him do a poor job of things in the bathroom and step in his urine or poo and drag it around the house. (sorry, I am on a roll down "poop memory lane") Oh, and let's don't forget the ungodly amount of laundry that needs to be done! Those poopy/pee pants, sheets, etc. cannot be left for ANY amount of time. Dirty clothes take the odor to another level, a different stratosphere of bad odor. And then, of course, you need odor-reducing laundry products. Incontinence sucks! Thank you all for letting me get this off my chest. Good luck to all who are operating in a bad odor daze!
Olfactory shock I called it which is filed under 'nothing can possibly smell this bad' and which I now keep locked in the bottom of an old filing cabinet so that I don't stumble across it.
I used some of Dianne's perfume a few times. I dabbed it on my shirt just below my chin. I suggest a men's cologne if you go with this. Don't use a smell you're going to keep liking because you'll associate it in the future.