no hope to stop this nursing home abuse

Hello again,
We visited Carmel the other day and she didn’t even know her son. She asked about Bill – looking straight at him. She cannot straighten her legs and holds her head up off the bed because of the stiffening of the Parkinson syndrome.
The nurse told us she refused to eat her dinner and we tried a “mightly shake” and she didn’t want that either. We did get some ice cream into her. I fed her and found out that I certainly cannot do patient care anymore – after about 20 minutes of standing beside her bed feeding her my back started hurting and didn’t stop for more than a day even with my pain meds. I want to do so much for her. I noticed that her ears are just crusted with something – food? dry and old skin? who knows.
We contacted an attorney about the bruises and neglect and found that since this nursing home is bankruptcy- lawsuits can’t be filed against them. So they can go on hurting people and neglecting them and no one can stop them. Oh I am so angry that they can get away with this.
I am going to call the nursing home next door to where she is. Even though they refused her earlier – it was because she needed restraints while in the wheelchair. Thye don’t get her up anymore. If she is going into hospice care, she will be in her bed. That plus having the hospice staff there hopefully will make things better for her final days.
We will be meeting with her doctor and the nursing home staff tomorrow regarding the hospice care. We also will be talking to one of the hospice programs at the nursing home. Hopefully in the next few days, we will have alot more information regarding our options.
If there could be 24 hour assistance for all aspects of her care, we would even consider bring her home. But that we need to think about long and hard. I can’t be responsible for any aspect of her care and possible injure my back.
I feel so helpless when I see her dirty and wet and the staff just ignore her. In fact, when we were there the odor of urine was so strong, I told them about it several time and their response was, the aides had to finish picking up trays, before they could come change her. Reminding them I am a nurse and I know what laying in urine can do the skin normally makes them more alot faster.
But it is sad when you think of all the patients there who do not have family who care like we do. Carm’s roommate never has any visitors. We always talk to her. One day a family did visit and Bill informed the family that the patient’s back was covered with bruises ( that we saw) and the man’s response was “yea, and she probably has bedsores, that’s just the way it goes and there is nothing that can be done.”
The other day her roommate just begged us to come over and talk with her – which we did. But she is just so alone.

I will keep you all in touch.

Leslie

More Fraud Schemes – Beware.

Hi to Group,
It is sick to think that “low-life people” are trying to capitalize on the Sept. 11 tragedy. If anyone phones you, emails you, or solicits at your door, or even sends you a letter asking you for funds – which they promise to forward to the American or Canadian Red Cross as part of the relief effort – they are all bogus. The organization of the Red Cross does *not* solicit funds in this way. To donate, a donor has to go to them. For those of us online they have a website (since Sept. 11, their site has been given links from most of the browsers and news websites).
If you are “off-guard” when you get a phonecall, or door-to-door visitation, ask them to mail you or give you information about their group while you consider. See if they’ll give you a telephone no. and report them to your Better Business Bureau, local police authority, even City
Hall.

whitegoose

Skybird

I just about forgot and it is a good thing that they tied that rope aeround my neck. I don’t know but they were an anxius lot. They were trying to get me to sit on this horse under a tree. They must have been goibg to have a church service because there was this priest there in his nightgown or something.. He kept uttering, ” I can play dominoes better than you can pat dominoes” I didn’t want to play anywat, I just wanted to get to Marys BIRTHDAY PARTY.Have a good and great day my love one of these bright years I will see you on your birthday.
I was stationed at Ent AFB in Colorado Springs many moons ago. I was the onlt Canadian sailor around and noone could figure out who or what I was. Once more, all the best wishes in the world. It is my pleasure to have met and had the spirit of you.
GOD BLESS AND LOTS OF LOVE,

Rick

z00zy et all.,

Seward bought ALASKA from the Russians for a few rubles and a few shots of stale vodka. THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN was named followibf Robert W. Services poem and he never set foot in ALASKA. He was an expatriate from the US however. Began his life in Scotland and died on theFrench Riviera in the 50′s or 60′s. So endeth my history lesson for today,

RICK

News

Yesteday, I saw my neurologist who told me that probably my foor will never be the way it used to be. !@#$%^&*%$# BUT I will be able to function normally. What is that? He says there is a lot of strength in the foot though. Factor 8 is going to be measured again, just to see if it went down since the last time it was counted, just after the stroke, in october. Then F8 was at 150%, quite toomuch.
He showed me the part of the brain damaged by the stroke – I was impressed! So much damage and relatively so little consequences… I am happy and lucky to get out of this episode the way that I do – I lost a few things for sure, but I am also learning so much, about life, death, love, myself… About what I want and don’t want (anymore). About what is imprtant and what isn’t (anymore).At 35, I am 95 sometimes, saying Very Wise Things to my friends.
You loose some, you win some. I’m glad to know what I know now and glad that I don’t need to spend time amymore, learning all that (I don’t necessarily feel like learning more this way though).Hugs to the wise people!
Elene

Louise- catching up – and question for caregivers

Hi everyone… with my dad coming home this past Wed. I have been very busy, and behind in my e-mails. Thanks to all who have been helping me with your stories, tips, and experiences. I haven’t been able to remember the names of everyone who has helped – please forgive me – but THANKS TO YOU ALL. My dad is doing ok, and my mom is managing him well. The home therapy should start next week. Now that the immediate “crisis” is over, I am feeling quite down. The work has been piling up all month – and I haven’t been keeping up. Now that dad is home, and I have more time, I look around at the messes and undone jobs and feel overwhelmed. I have the urge to stay in bed and forget it all. Has aonyone else gone through this? Is it a normal phase? Please share your experiences. Thanks.

hey

My stroke was also on the right side, efecting the left part of the brain. I think your right about not giving up after a stroke. Things have gotton better over time, but I’m not sure if a total recovery is possible. I know I’ll never be able to play baseball again or be able to
run. So what part of the state are you from. I think by you going back to work was a total triumph over having a stroke, Michael

Buses for disabled people

I was due for my protime test on Tuesday. My sister works near Kaiser and I didn’t see any use in her getting me, after work, to take me to Kaiser for my protime. Anyway, my uncle was in an accident, and he told me that if you’re disabled, they have a special bus for you to get on. I applied for the bus program last month, and they sent me an approval letter at the beginning of this month. So, I finally used it today. I had to get my protime done, so I called yesterday to tell them to get me this morning. I had to wait in front of my apartment complex for them to get me. She came on time. We picked up one other person, and went to Kaiser first, because he was going to a VA hospital that was further away. I got to Kaiser and went to the lab for my protime test. Then I just waited for the time that I had told them I would be ready to go back. When that time came, I went to where she had dropped me off at (right in front of Kaiser). The driver was different, but my ride back home was quick. I just think that the bus for disabled people is so good. They even had wheelchair lift and ramp. The maximum price they can charge is just $0.75 more than the fair for the regular bus, which I take to school on Tuesday (because my geology lab starts before my sister gets off work).

LaVondra