Groundhog Day

I admit that I have stolen the name of the blog today. While catching up on other people's blogs, another daughter taking care of her Father compared her life to the movie "Groundhog Day" and by golly that is my life.

5:30am Wake up for Martha. This is sometimes the only time of day I am alone. My desire is to take the time to be quiet and plan my day, make an effort to start in a good place before getting Dad up. Frequently it is spent packing Leacie's lunch, folding towels washed the night before, unloading the dishwasher, making Dad's cereal, thickening Dad's juice, etc.

7:00am Wake up Poppa. This means physically getting him out of bed, into the shower, washing, dressing and taking him to the kitchen for breakfast. (Caregivers-the PT found me a must have item. Dad is still able to stand with assistance but it is difficult to turn him to sit into the wheelchair-TA DA!-a lazy susan made just for that. I put it on the floor beside his bed and stand him up on it, then turn him around to the wheelchair to sit. A BACK SAVER!)

8:30am Breakfast - Notice it takes 1 1/2 hours to complete the bathing, dressing routine. Occasionaly, Dad will feed himself, but like everything else, that is getting less frequent. (Caregivers-because of all the medication he needs alot of bran. Here's a great recipe we make up in a Tupperware type container and store in fridge.

2 cups Bran cereal

2 cups Apple sauce

2 sm cans Prune Juice

Cinnamon, Sugar and Vanilla to taste

He loves it and it works)

9:30am Poppa's teeth, shave and on good days we walks to his chair. I say walk, but it involves the walker, gait belt and lots of encouragement.

10am Martha feels like she's done a full day of work.....

You get the idea. It is important for him to get up at the same time, eat at the same time, etc. I truly believe that he is still alive because we get him up and bathe him everyday. Even the days he cannot stand or move on his own, we pick him up and carry him around. Every three hours we get him up out of his chair and change him. He gets talked to and petted. I rub lotion on his back so he won't get bed sores, we spray saline in his nose to keep the oxygen from drying him out so bad, we offer him fluids every 45 minutes to keep him from getting dehydrated. He's fed vegetables and fruit, given breathing treatments and medication. I tell him all the time how spoiled he is.

My own personal "Groundhog Day" over and over......

Remember Be Kind and make good decision!