A & D Ointment

I hate rolling. I realized why when I was writing this. I once was rolled right off the bed.

When a person is unconscious, bedding and diapers still need to be changed. This is achieved by rolling the patient side-to-side. I have included a training video so you have an idea of this.

My eyes were open when this occurred. The rest of my body was unresponsive. I was beginning to vocalize words. 
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Right before I had brain surgery, I was at a long-term care hospital. It was in the process of being indicted. I had to return there for a few days before surgery. Upon my arrival I was changed.

The aide forgot to put the safety rail up on the other side of the bed. When he rolled me, he rolled me right off the bed.

Name Brand Removed

 He fixed me up good. Nurses carried packets of A&D Ointment at this place. Every bump and bruise I got was covered in A&D Ointment. I was plastered.

A&D Ointment is used for bedsores. That's why the nurses were carrying it. Different brands make it. I just used one for the picture.   It is also for minor cuts and burns. It is sold for diaper rash. It protects against wetness. As you can see bumps and bruises are covered.

I'm still in bed, but I lift for changes. This is called bridge or pelvic tilt. No more rolling.

Directly to the Stomach

Digestive System

There are no organs between the stomach and mouth. Food does not get any extra process. This is one reason to chew your food well. Another is choking.  You have to be able to swallow it in the first place, so you chew it. Chew it well or you'll choke. We chew our food for proper digestion and so we can swallow it.

The feeding tube gives us direct access to the stomach, but we are only bypassing the mouth. How do you feed someone who is asleep? 

I think of those old western movies where they tried to make an unconscious person drink.

Fortunately we have the feeding-tube now.

We have the pill crusher for chewing. I went to a place that used mortar and pestle. It's your preference. The pill crusher may be easier to find.

The mouth also wets the food with saliva. For that we have formula. It's just like formula for a baby, but made for an adult. A few are flavored. This is pumped directly to the stomach and doesn't need to be flavored.

Thank goodness we now have feeding-tubes or we'd be trying to wake people out of comas to take a sip of water.

I don't do my own feeding, but this gives 

good ideas, ones I did not know.
Yes, I have my own tube.

Keep Your Legs Working

I didn't have an exoskeleton. Years ago I did something similar. A brace was made for my right leg. It was a bar that came out of my shoe and went to my knee. A physical therapist (PT) and a PT aide helped me walk down a hall.

In the title of the video, the girl said she used her hip flexors. This goes back to a range of motion video I saw. A caregiver rolls the leg so the hip flexor doesn't freeze up.

Here is the range of motion video. It focuses on the lower extremities.

Range of motion is performed because "use it or lose it."

This paper centers on the lower extremities, which are needed for walking. There is upper extremity range of motion as well. Keep everything moving. You might need it later.

It Will Stick

You can click as some is hiding.

Reminds Me of ROM

ROM is Range of Motion. You want to keep your range of motion as you get older. If not, the body stiffens up and you can't move.

I saw the following video. 

It reminded me of when ROM exercises became active.  That meant I would do them. I'd use my good arm to move my bad arm. Before I did that, ROM was passive. A nurse or aide routinely moved my limbs.

 Use your good arm to move the other.

I saw this:

Radiation didn't make me glow.

"Stereotactic radiosurgey" is radiation. It's not just surgery. Radiation is the knife. This isn't regular surgery. 

To top it off, mine had never been done before. I didn't have to pay any money. Instead I had to sign papers that family could not sue if I died. I paid with my life. This surgery was a big gamble. I only had a 20-30% chance of survival. 

CLICK This video is on YouTube. 

It shows that beams of radiation were shot into my head.
Watch this video to understand my surgery. 
The radiation unit was mounted on a robot arm. There was no sliding.

 

This video wasn't available when I had my surgery, but you can see that it is from Stanford, where I had the procedure. A lot of this didn't happen with me. My surgery was before this protocol was developed, but a lot of the actions did happen in my case.

My situation was dire. That needs to be understood. 20% chance of survival was better than the current 0% that I had. I was living for almost two years knowing that I could instantly die if I sneezed wrong and set that thing off bleeding again. I had a vascular malformation in my head, not cancer. I had an AVM, an arteriovenous malformation.

I say that it was no big deal. I'm alive. I wouldn't be saying that if I was dead.  

Updated 7/27/2019

Basic Homecare

Basic Homecare, I will address what is in this folder and refer you to this blog as a whole since the G+ site is closing. Please join the blog. Know How covers many caregiving and therapy topics.

NUMBER ONE, BE SAFE!

I refer to my transfer, http://braininjuryknow.blogspot.com/2018/09/stand-and-pivot-transfer.htmlI
There are other ways.  Maybe you qualify for a mechanical lift. Your doctor or hospital can refer for training.

l used to use a sock aide. I have a video here.

.The fire dept is your last resort if your patient has fallen. Have a plan.

http://www.shieldhealthcare.com/community/caregivers/2018/04/13/what-to-do-after-fall/

 

Night Splint

Night splints- you are going to want something for the person who doesn't walk to wear in bed. The picture is just an idea. I had an all white one and now I have blue. You probably want a boot style with 2 or 3 straps. It has to be comfortable and easy to put on. Without something, bed covers can pull the foot down.

I cover the pressure sore, https://braininjuryknow.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-pressure-sore.html There are more than bed sores. They also occur in wheelchairs and from AFOs.

Don't expose your patient to germs http://braininjuryknow.blogspot.com/2018/02/no-germs.html

I last talk about my bed, http://thoughtfulveg.blogspot.com/2014/03/my-death-bed.html Hospital beds can be ordered by a doctor. They may not fit into a bedroom. Get creative and convert the living room or dining room. It's a good reason to redecorate.