Monday April 3 2023

[Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN]

Stars here's hoping the interview with the administrator goes well

NJ22 I hope your stomach settles down

Ado I like stormy weather too as long at it isn't too bad

Yesterday was fairly busy for a Sunday.  Did a crock pot recipe before church and a side dish afterwards.  Church ran a bit long as it was Palm Sunday.  Went out to lunch with dad.  Finished the dishes and went to a local forest preserve for a walk

Was going to make muffins for the next volunteer group event this Sat, but realized I probably can't make it, it's a bit over an hour away and with Good Friday the day before and Easter Sunday the next day I'll probably be too busy.   A shame, as I don't think I can attend the next 2 events after that

Hoping work will be calm, at least there should be no one off today.  

Will text J and email today.  Will also email some family, haven't done that in a while

Will be in the mid 50s today, might rain later tonight

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Good morning!

Sounds like you had a nice Sunday Joe, hope you have a good day.

Ado, glad you're on the mend.  Hope your house doesn't get it.

J22, hope you're feeling better.   I've heard on medical podcasts that antacid use can disrupt healthy gut microbiome but not sure how long that would take.

Stars, these facilities want residents which is why they pay someone a salary to assess potential residents.  I know around here facilities rarely refuse a resident if they have a bed unless they are on expensive medications or are just too heavy care like with a trach.  Although yesterday I tried to get a patient out and they said they didn't have the staff that day to do an admission.  Of course around here in Florida there are a gazillion nursing homes.  The only time I remember us having difficulty placing patients was during a real bad flu season and of course during covid.  Ask your husband to wear his oxygen and emphasize that as the primary care giver of both of them and it's too much.  Is he still bruised and beat up looking?  That would help. LOL Then there's the authorization process which might take a few days.  They need to know they will get paid by insurance/medicare, etc.   Also, I hope you can work through the anger that's eating you up.  Don't let the small stuff get you.

I was too tired last night to post.  Was on my computer barely able to hold my head up during dinner.  Dogs didn't let me sleep in but went back to bed and feel okay now after some coffee.  I won't lie, last week drained me. Overtime day, staff meeting, and a long 14 hour shift on Saturday.  I don't really have a plan B to get away from the bedside as I age.  But generally like what I do.

Off today and will do some housework.  Tomorrow I need to have a painful tooth looked at and Wednesday it's CPR class.  So this week isn't looking too good.  Ugh.....

 

 

 

[No Stars In My Eyes]

 I was going to start with a song, but I don't want to give y'all any ear-worms!

I got up at 10 AM, gave myself enough time to wake up with a cup of coffee. Then started in on getting Nannie up, dressed and fed. I told hubby the idea about him sitting on the other end of the sofa with his O2 on. ( ? thanx Tweety!) Have not mentioned the nurse or the nursing home to Nannie; but I don't know what the nurse will be saying to her, so here's hoping it doesn't hit like a sledge-hammer when it finally occurs (IF it does) to Nannie what is going on.....

She just said she noticed the rug had some of those little seeds (millet) on it. (smh). I told her I just vacuumed it yesterday; she said "I know you did." I told her that vacuum-cleaner is a lousy one, but at least the rug looks better than it did!

Anyway it is coming up on 11:30 AM, so I prolly won't be back here until after "The Visit".

[No Stars In My Eyes]

There is hope in our lifetime! Maybe...

No nurse to assess, just the administrator, who has worked at this facility for 30 years, starting as a CNA and working her way up to Admin. It has a very good reputation; the owners started it, worked there, and then when old enough for nsg home care, they stayed there, too. And it is still in-the-family. They have between 30 and 50 beds, with usually 30 occupied, sometimes 40. The admin, "L" , talked to us in the den and Nannie slept like a log through the whole visit, "L" didn't think it was necessary to wake her up, which made asking questions and talking about her easier!

Anyway, I liked this woman a whole lot, she was relaxed and soft-spoken. I don't know how it would be to work under her.  And if you can believe this, I also didn't even THINK to ask her about staffing/patient ratios! Or staff turn-over. But since they are private pay, maybe the employment situation isn't as hairy as it might be at other places. One can hope!

 I guess after we have the FL2, Medicare and supplement, and other info, we can pretty much pick a day for moving in. There is a one time 'move-in' fee of $4,000 which everyone in the community had to pay....they use the $$$ for necessary facility updates. Then it'll cost $4,000/mo for a shared room, and $260/mo for their Incontinence Program, they supply the 'pee-products'. ? I just spent $72.09 at CVS for chux, pull-ups and pads, and that was with discount coupon and 'loyalty Extra Bucks! I think all told it was $27 I saved. 

Anyway, hubby will have a talk with her investment person and someone at the bank, and see a financial advisor. The facility is all private-pay, no Medicaid patients.

Hubby is looking stunned and staring at the floor; when I asked him if he was okay, he looked up at me and said, "$4,000 a month" to which I said, "And $260/mo for the Incontinence Program." (which means they supply the pads.pull-ups and chux, and they have a 'mandatory' q2hr bathroom visit for everyone there who needs assistance. Don't know how much Medicare and supplement will kick in, but knowing that amount would be good for hubby's and my mental health. I told him that since it is private pay, they won't take her SS check, so we can use that as part of her monthly payment, and when we find out what the insurances will pay, we might feel a little easier about the $$. 

So, keep your fingers crossed for us!

[No Stars In My Eyes]

PS: I am sorry I repeated info from one paragraph to the next, but I am partially excited and partially scared. Plus I just sent the same info to my siblings, so repetition seeped into my mind, trying to include as much as I could right now....So, my brain is skipping around a LOT! (Are there any questions?)

[Ado Annie, ASN, RN]

Hubs is in a bad mood, I guess. Just yelled at me and the boys "Would you guys please clean up after yourselves?" I guess because there's a tortilla chip bag on the table while he fixes cheeseburgers for himself and his mom. I just woke up again, having decided I needed another day of recuperation. Need to do my laundry and shower prior to my eye Dr appointment. I suppose the attorney will call today. What I can tell him I don't know. 

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Hubby is (I think) depressed and has gone to bed. Said don't wake him up. Nannie also has been sleeping hard since after breakfast, and when I woke her up, she said she didn't believe she wants any supper just now. Both said they "might" eat later. 

WELP!! --->The fish and the tater-tots and spinach are all done, ready to eat, and nobody wants to eat supper! 

 Ima gonna eat what is ready! Ppfftt to the rest of 'em!

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Good afternoon. It's warm and not actually warm, but close at 48. I ran some errands with youngest ser son: bought license tabs for trailer, dropped my wedding off to get sized larger, bank, gasoline, propane for trailer, drop off at goodwill. Then I treated us to Indian food: so good! Butter chicken, majestic chicken, basmati rice, garlic naan, and chai tea. Soooo good. Then we dropped by sis's house to look at potential pruning that needs doing. I will go back tomorrow after Angus's vet appointment. Dh is off plant shopping, so I am going to grab a little nap. Yes, Tweety, I am sure my gut biome is messed up. I am eating some yogurt every day and eat lots of fiber. 
NoStars, it's looking hopeful to get Nannie placed.

Ado, it's hard to deal with grumpy people when you don't feel so hot yourself. 
Joe, and Tweety, you both have a busy week ahead. Pace yourselves. 
 

[dianah, ASN]

Hello all!  It is post-program recovery day today!

No Stars, I can well understand your feeling anxious and excited and nervous about this big step of turning Nannie's care over to a facility.  And yes, Mr. Stars, $4000 is about the going cost!  Get used to it. But my, for peace of mind?  Seems worth it!  Fingers crossed for all to work out. 

nursej22, LOVE Indian food!  Hope you got enough for leftovers! 

Ado, hope you continue to feel better each day. 

Joe, busy as always!  Good your dad is doing well.

Tweety, hope you will get some rest, and that you get that tooth looked at.

It's been a relaxing day.  I took a piece of mail out to oldest ds, and then drove him to do an errand.  He had to get back home, so we didn't get a chance for a long visit, but it was good to see him.

Have a good evening!

 

 

[No Stars In My Eyes]

I brought my supper down on a tray, to watch the news. I woke up Nannie from her day-long nap, told her supper was ready, but she said she didn't believe she wanted to eat anything. Hubby got up and came down to the den, but he didn't feel like eating either. So we watched the news and later we watched American Idol. I helped hubby by straightening out his bed, and cleaned the filters on the 02 watchacallit, and then I came back down and got Nannie into bed. Hubby is going to cancel his Dr's appt for tomorrow; he's not sure if he'll be able to sleep, as he is ruminating about the costs of the nsg. home. (I mean, he is TENSE.) I said, "Fine." 

I want to say, "And now I'm ready to put on my glass slippers and go to the ball" in a giant pumpkin-coach....(?) but I don't have a pumpkin and I wouldn't dare to wear glass slippers! Dancing might make me feel better, but let's not talk about Prince Charming.

Finger-prints, Hand-prints, Foot-prints, Heeeeere Prince! (There's no audible dog-barking-emoji)