General Update #159

Dusty retrieved Joyce's remaining items that Aspen Park had failed to send home with her ~3:30 p.m. (2 skirts, shirt, blanket, etc.) on 9/15. Dusty will add those to the load of laundry he will do for Joyce tomorrow at farmhouse.

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Connie spoke with Dusty via phone ~ 7:18 a.m. (9/16) and provided an update to Dusty about her shift with Joyce last night. Reported that Joyce had issues with keeping her oxygen line in place later in the evening and might be removing it as she slept, alerting Dusty that if she was disoriented in the mornings when he found her that could be the cause.

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Dusty arrived at farmhouse ~7:47 a.m., finding Joyce without oxygen line in place and hunched forward in her recliner, balled up forward over her knees. Dusty got Joyce upright and restored oxygen tubing into place. Joyce stated that she had had an issue with urinary incontinence earlier but could not recall at what time. She guessed it was about an hour before Dusty arrived. Joyce stated that she changed her own diaper and switched skirts herself (soiled skirt was draped over her walker). Dusty asked if Joyce needed her chair pad changed out and Joyce could not remember if she had soiled it or not. Dusty said he would check when they take her to the bathroom later on.

Dusty reset Joyce's recycle bin in the entry way.

Mail for Connie received at the 1048 address was set near the base unit for Joyce's Life Alert system.

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Breakfast was given to Joyce at 8 a.m. She requested a slice of toast with butter and apricot jam and 1/3 of a banana. Low-sodium V8 and Earl Grey tea accompanied. Joyce finished eating by 8:20 a.m. but did not take in much liquid. Joyce said that she would work on the V8 and tea through the morning. 

Dusty applied Lidocaine patch to Joyce's back ~8:25 a.m.

Joyce's blood pressure was 163/82, pulse 78 at 8:30 a.m. 

Dusty had brought out some of his DVDs from his home and setup Forrest Gump to play for Joyce.

Dusty setup "Joyce's Daily Log Book" for family care provider use for logging simple information (meal times and medication times). 



Joyce continues to remove her oxygen line throughout the morning (either pulling it completely from her face, pushing it up above her nose and not pulling it back down, or pushing it off to the side as she fidgets). Dusty kept reminding her to restore it into proper position and Joyce expressed confusion over knowing if it was correctly in place or not.

Joyce napped throughout the morning, occasionally siting herself upright and leaning forward over her knees to try to nap in that position. Dusty restored her to upright or prone positions soon afterward.

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Took Joyce to the bathroom ~10:20 a.m. Changed chair pad out on her recliner. Joyce passed urine only, needed change of diaper/pad due to minor urinary incontinence. Joyce was able to take off soiled diaper and pull on new diaper after Dusty prepared it with a new pad for her. Fresh barrier cream applied. Joyce reported soreness from her rash/sores post-toileting. Dusty confirmed that they were looking better than they had been. Joyce slightly unsteady on her feet but was able to make all transitions (chair to standing, standing to toilet riser, rising up to sink, transition back out to recliner) with some delays. Joyce had some difficulties in processing how to work her recliner's remote to lean back. 


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