HeatherFeather
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2014
- Messages
- 284
- Reason
- CALS
- Diagnosis
- 10/2014
- Country
- CA
- State
- Quebec
- City
- Tiny town w/no stoplight!
ARGHHHHH! Sorry - just had to let that one out!
I've been taking care of DH only for a very short while so far, compared to soooo many of you seasoned CALS. He was diagnosed end October and has been getting worse so very fast so it's only been 2 months and a bit.
Here's why I'm saying I feel sooooo DUMB! Our local service, here in Quebec we call it the CLSC, had delivered a commode for downstairs since the toilet down there has a step up and DH can't handle step ups when he really needs to GOOOOOO.. So last night, for the first time, he asked for the commode. I happily trudge off to get our new prized possession and bring it back with a big smile on my face (Kewl, I said to myself). I manage to get DH off his popup Lazy-boy chair, shuffle and move his feel to turn and lowered him onto the commode.
Oooooooooo, those prunes... POOOOOOOOOO!
Anyway, he managed to have a huge dump (sorry for being graphic :twisted. After cleaning him and getting him settled back on his Lazy-boy chair I grab the commode, holding my breath (one thing about me: I never had kids and never baby-sat - LOL!) and go to empty the bowl into the toilet. Well, only part came out and blocked the toilet. Everything finally managed to get cleaned up after finding a sink that would accept the commode pot for cleaning, unblocking the toilet etc etc etc.
NOW I find out that you can buy commode liner bags so you don't have to shovel sh** - That's why I feel so dumb
Next issue...
We are still living on two floors with a stair climber between levels for our 10 stairs. Poor hubby's getting weaker and weaker. I have to raise one foot at a time so that he can climb two stairs to the landing to get to the actual stair climber. It was pay $4,100 for the straight stair climber or pay 12,000 for one that turns so we opted for the less expensive one and just try to manage the two steps to get there.
Last night, as I tried to raise his foot to get to the landing (he's been helping me raise his foot abit and now I think he's having a hard time even lifting it abit so he's almost a dead weight), he fell forward and collapsed frontways on the stair lift seat. It took all my strength to pull him off and up (he weighs about 180 - used to be about 210 and I'm not petite but not large either). I think eventually we will forget the stair climber and move the essentials upstairs. Even getting him out of the wheelchair to put him into the popup lazy-boy chair takes all my strength as he helps me abit - what will happen when he has no arm-strength left?
That being said, having a harder and harder time lifting him to places, are there portable lifts that we can use? Anybody have any pics to share? For example from the bed to the wheelchair; wheelchair to shower and toilet; wheelchair to lazy-boy chair? Something light enough or mobile enough that I can move it from room to room? (I am starting to have arthritis in my fingers and that doesn't help when he wants me to do things fast but I tell him I can't because of my digits :-(
WOW! Sorry for the novel...
You guys have been so very helpful, what with your replies and what I've been reading on the various threads - I just want to thank you all so very very much and I'm so happy I found this forum xoxo
I've been taking care of DH only for a very short while so far, compared to soooo many of you seasoned CALS. He was diagnosed end October and has been getting worse so very fast so it's only been 2 months and a bit.
Here's why I'm saying I feel sooooo DUMB! Our local service, here in Quebec we call it the CLSC, had delivered a commode for downstairs since the toilet down there has a step up and DH can't handle step ups when he really needs to GOOOOOO.. So last night, for the first time, he asked for the commode. I happily trudge off to get our new prized possession and bring it back with a big smile on my face (Kewl, I said to myself). I manage to get DH off his popup Lazy-boy chair, shuffle and move his feel to turn and lowered him onto the commode.
Oooooooooo, those prunes... POOOOOOOOOO!
Anyway, he managed to have a huge dump (sorry for being graphic :twisted. After cleaning him and getting him settled back on his Lazy-boy chair I grab the commode, holding my breath (one thing about me: I never had kids and never baby-sat - LOL!) and go to empty the bowl into the toilet. Well, only part came out and blocked the toilet. Everything finally managed to get cleaned up after finding a sink that would accept the commode pot for cleaning, unblocking the toilet etc etc etc.
NOW I find out that you can buy commode liner bags so you don't have to shovel sh** - That's why I feel so dumb
Next issue...
We are still living on two floors with a stair climber between levels for our 10 stairs. Poor hubby's getting weaker and weaker. I have to raise one foot at a time so that he can climb two stairs to the landing to get to the actual stair climber. It was pay $4,100 for the straight stair climber or pay 12,000 for one that turns so we opted for the less expensive one and just try to manage the two steps to get there.
Last night, as I tried to raise his foot to get to the landing (he's been helping me raise his foot abit and now I think he's having a hard time even lifting it abit so he's almost a dead weight), he fell forward and collapsed frontways on the stair lift seat. It took all my strength to pull him off and up (he weighs about 180 - used to be about 210 and I'm not petite but not large either). I think eventually we will forget the stair climber and move the essentials upstairs. Even getting him out of the wheelchair to put him into the popup lazy-boy chair takes all my strength as he helps me abit - what will happen when he has no arm-strength left?
That being said, having a harder and harder time lifting him to places, are there portable lifts that we can use? Anybody have any pics to share? For example from the bed to the wheelchair; wheelchair to shower and toilet; wheelchair to lazy-boy chair? Something light enough or mobile enough that I can move it from room to room? (I am starting to have arthritis in my fingers and that doesn't help when he wants me to do things fast but I tell him I can't because of my digits :-(
WOW! Sorry for the novel...
You guys have been so very helpful, what with your replies and what I've been reading on the various threads - I just want to thank you all so very very much and I'm so happy I found this forum xoxo