while everyone else is sleeping...

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4mymom

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I just wanted to share an idea that has worked for us...

In order for Mom to get our (my father and myself) attention at night, I've purchased a cordless, battery operated doorbell from Walmart that she can buzz at any time. The ringer/speaker just plugs into any wall outlet and I lay the button under her palm once she's comfortable in bed. It takes almost no strength at all to push the button, and the speaker is plenty loud enough...and has six different sounds to choose from. The one I purchased was only $17...well worth the money!

She sleeps better knowing that she can wake us up if something is wrong...and I sleep better knowing she can too.

Hope this proves helpful to some of you all out there!
 
Thanks for the info! My mom isn't at that point yet but I suspect it's just a matter of time. Going to check my local Walmart to be prepared.
 
Most of us use a battery powered doorbell, they only cost a couple of dollars more and you don't have to worry about power outages. They can also be taken outside without the worry of where to plug it in. They work really well!
 
what a wonderful son you are!
 
My PALS uses a baby monitor in his room at night. when he needs something, he will grind his teeth, and that sound will wake up his mom.
 
Thanks for the idea Liz. Mom sleeps with the bipap on all night and sometimes it's hard to even hear her grunt or try and vocalize something. A friend had recommended the baby monitor, but I was skeptical with all the other sounds in the room if I would be able to here it.

Kind of a side topic dealing with sound... I've been playing music most of my life and actually went to school for music therapy/education. After so many years training my ears to listen for specific pitches or defining chord structures, I find myself in a situation I never thought about. While I'm the first one to hear Mom if she is able to make any sort of sound, there have been several times I've looked over at her when the fan on the fridge kicks on...or if there isn't a good seal on the bipap. The overtones of that "noise" register the same as her "i need help" vocalizations, and it seems like I'm looking over at her constantly. Better safe than sorry I suppose, but it has scared me a couple of times to be honest, thinking something was wrong.

Sorry for the rant...just got to thinking about it!
 
that actually is a good thing! That means you are very intuned to your mom.
i find i look at my PALS every 45 seconds or so. i also feel very intuned to his sounds. i know it is different from your situation, but ive been around him so much that i can usually tell if there is something wrong with his vent, just by listening. often times i know there is something "off" before he even attempts to alert us.
the monitor obviously picks up all sounds, but if your mom was able to make a consistant sound each time she needed something, you would become acustomed (sp?) to it.
Obviously do what works best for you guys. :)
 
I now sleep in the room next to my husband. In four months, I've only missed the first call for help twice. Once it took three calls once it took two. It reminds me of when the babies were infants. I never needed a monitor to hear them. After my kids were babies and before my husband was ill, I slept like a log! Amazing how intune we can become!
 
I purchased a pet chime from a former cALS. It has a doorbell sound or can be changed to a dog barking. Of course, we chose the the dog barking! We have two, so he has one as he sits in his recliner and one at his bed.
 
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