The Official Joyce Update Blog

October 29, 2020 Addendum: 4 p.m. Joyce changed her mind about wanting to use the bathroom before Dusty departed for the day. Urine passed. Joyce was dry until she moved to seat herself on toilet riser and released her bladder early. Floor and toilet riser sanitized by Dusty and fresh diaper and diaper pad insert placed on Joyce. PT walk - Joyce attempted to "walk at speed" from living room to kitchen. Returned to blue chair ~4:13 p.m. with Joyce wanting to color. Dusty set her up with oxygen line, trash can, kleenex, and coloring kit before departing farmhouse ~4:20 p.m. Dusty ran into Connie at Rosauers as he was leaving after purchasing some dinner before heading into his office on campus, providing update/summary of day with Joyce. ~5:16 p.m. - Jay (Kindred PT) called Dusty's cellphone. Dusty was in meeting with his director and could not answer. Jay left voicemail stating that he would be in to work with Joyce tomorrow around noon or 12:30 p.m. +++ October 30, 2020 9...

October 28, 2020 Addendum ~6:49 p.m. Tracy (Kindred Nurse) called and left a message on Dusty's cell phone to confirm she will be out to check on Joyce tomorrow ~12:30 p.m. +++ Dusty arrived ~8 a.m., finding Joyce asleep in her recliner, rolled forward with forehead touching her knees and oxygen line off. Joyce claimed that she had taken herself to the bathroom "earlier, sometime around 7 a.m., maybe." Joyce declined bathroom trip, citing she had gone already and passed a bowel movement but insisted that she had not soiled herself. Dusty investigated and discovered that toilet riser required cleaning. Dusty sanitized toilet riser and sink. Joyce declined trip into shower, expressing emphatic concerns at the suggestion. Dusty calmed Joyce, stating that he will look at her when they go to the bathroom later on in the morning and help her get cleaned up at that time.    8:10 a.m. - Vitals taken. BP 155/84, pulse 77. BGL @ 132.  Joyce asked for today's newspaper and excit...

7:36 a.m. - Dusty arrived to find Joyce already in the bathroom and Craig already on site. Craig reported that he had arrived a few minutes before Dusty and found Joyce on her way to the bathroom on her own. Joyce had minor urinary incontinence requiring diaper pad insert replacement. Joyce passed urine and returned to kitchen under her own power ~7:55 a.m. Craig departed farmhouse ~8 a.m. 8:09 a.m. - Vitals taken after Dusty prepared breakfast. BP 152/83, pulse 87. BGL @ 126. 8:12 a.m. - Breakfast (1/2 toasted peanut butter, nutella, and banana slices on whole wheat sandwich with 1/2 banana). 8:19 a.m. - Scam phone call to farmhouse landline intercepted by Dusty. ~9 a.m. - Morning medication (carvedilol, metformin, 2 Tylenol, multivitamin, iron, potassium) taken and nutritional shake finished.  ~9:20 a.m. Dusty departed farmhouse for appointment in Colfax, leaving Joyce reading today's newspaper and new magazine that came in the mail. Returned ~12:45 p.m. Found Joyce asleep in her...

October 26, 2020 Addendum Dusty took out farm's recycling and trash. Dusty picked up supplies for farm from Wal-Mart (toilet tissue, nutritional shakes, "C" batteries, bananas, pancake mix, kleenex, low-sodium V8, sweet potato, coffee for Craig).  +++ October 27, 2020 7:45 a.m. - Dusty arrived to find Joyce in the hallway outside the bathroom, sitting on her walker. Joyce stated that she had been sitting there for hours, having "taken herself to the bathroom ~5 a.m. or there about." Joyce unable to walk under her own power. Joyce had turned on the bathroom space heater and directed at herself for some warmth while she sat on her walker. Dusty wheeled her out to kitchen and helped her transition to her recliner. Joyce reported "terrible leg pain" in her left leg and that it was non-functional. Dusty stretched out Joyce in her recliner in the hopes that it was just asleep from lack of blood flow related to how she was seated at an angle on her walker. 8:...

Dusty arrived to farmhouse ~8:15 a.m., finding Joyce asleep in her chair without her oxygen line in place. Lights in kitchen and living room were switched on (Jess and Dusty switched them off the night before on the way out the door), prompting Dusty to ask who had been in the house. Joyce said that no one had been in the house but that she "had been up since about 6 or 6:30 a.m." and "got a notion to go through all of her cupboard doors in the kitchen to see what was there." 8:24 a.m. - Bathroom trip. Evidence Joyce had a bowel movement before Dusty's arrival to farm. Diaper did not have a diaper pad insert, and diaper had fecal matter throughout the padded area (most likely from areas Joyce did not clean well. Joyce insisted that she had not soiled herself in her recliner but had instead gotten up and passed a bowel movement into the toilet. Joyce panicked that Dusty would put her into the shower. Dusty worked on calming Joyce down. Joyce passed urine and bowe...

Dusty and Jess arrived to farmhouse ~8:24 a.m. finding Joyce asleep in her recliner without her oxygen line in place, rolled forward into a ball-like position. Joyce semi-coherent, Jess helped get the oxygen line back into place and worked on breathing exercises with Joyce to help get her re-oxygenated. 8:32 a.m. - Vitals taken. BP 146/83, pulse 82. BGL @ 173. 8:36 a.m. - Morning medication (Carvedilol, Metformin, 2 Tylenol, multivitamin, potassium, iron) and nutritional shake.  ~9 a.m. - Bathroom trip. Minor urinary incontinence requiring diaper pad insert replacement. Urine passed. PT walk to family room and back out to kitchen. Dusty provided corrections to Joyce (she was pushing walker too far out in front of her as she walked).  9:55 a.m. - Breakfast served (Apple Dutch Babies). Breakfast stopped for bathroom trip, Joyce soiled herself. Dusty assisted Joyce with making it to bathroom and cleaning up. Joyce passed remainder of Type 6 bowel movement and was showered. Joyce ...

October 23, 2020 Addendum Carol called Dusty ~6:17 p.m. to ask about plan for grapes. Carol and Joyce will de-stem the concord grapes and prep them for canning tomorrow. +++ October 24, 2020 Jess and Dusty arrived to farmhouse ~8:50 a.m. after shoveling snow, running errands in town, and buying breakfast for Joyce from McDonald's. Joyce found sleeping, rolled forward into a ball-like position in her recliner without oxygen line in place. Jess worked with Joyce on breathing exercises.  ~9:05 a.m. - Bathroom trip. Joyce released her bladder while seating herself on toilet riser. Urine passed. Jess cleaned and sanitized floor and toilet riser. Standing water appears to have been left by someone on bathroom floor when they used farmhouse bathroom which was not cleaned up (most likely tracked in snow before Jess and Dusty arrived to farmhouse). Joyce was concerned about the mess but she avoided the water and Jess cleaned it up. ~9:17 a.m. - Craig arrived to visit and provide update on K...

Dusty arrived to farm ~8:12 a.m., finding Joyce awake and upright in her recliner without oxygen line in place. Joyce semi-incoherent. Dusty worked on breathing exercises with Joyce to increase her oxygen levels. Joyce refused bathroom trip, citing that she had already taken herself to the bathroom before Dusty arrived. Joyce declined breakfast. 8:18 a.m. - Scam phone call to landline intercepted by Dusty.  8:20 a.m. - Joyce declined breakfast. Dusty attempted to negotiate food options and Joyce declined them all. 8:27 a.m. - Vitals taken. BP 155/83, pulse 82. BGL @ 135. 8:30 a.m. - Joyce given nutritional shake, 2 fiber crackers, and morning medication (Carvedilol, metformin, 2 Tylenol, multivitamin, iron, potassium). Joyce complained about the amount of pills she had to take. Joyce attempted to negotiate "only taking some of them now and some of them later." Dusty insisted she take them all while he was watching. Joyce was suspicious of the nutritional shake, asking Dusty w...

Dusty arrived at farmhouse ~7:50 a.m., finding Joyce sitting upright in her recliner without oxygen line in place. Joyce declined bathroom trip - Joyce stated that she had already taken herself to the bathroom but could not recall how long ago. Dusty asked Joyce about how she wanted to Candice grapes processed (made into raisins or jelly) and Joyce said she "would have to think about that." Joyce asked Dusty to contact Frank and see if he would like some of the Candice grapes for himself first before she made a decision about what to do with them. Joyce refused breakfast. Dusty eventually negotiated she have a slice of toast and half of a banana. 8 a.m. - Nutritional shake and morning medication (Carvedilol, metformin, 2 Tylenol, potassium, iron, multivitamin) given to Joyce. Craig arrived ~8:05 a.m. to read newspaper and visit. Informed Dusty that they had KFC bowls last night for dinner and Joyce had asked her leftovers be saved so she could eat them for lunch today. 8:15 a...

October 20, 2020 Addendum 5:14 p.m. - Jay (Kindred PT) called Dusty's cellphone to inform him that he would arrive to farmhouse tomorrow between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. to work with Joyce. Glenda attempted to call Dusty's cell phone while he was at the Girls Troop 333 meeting ~7:47 p.m. Glenda left a voicemail to ask for an update on Joyce, stating that it had been a while since she had received any news. Dusty attempted to return Glenda's phone call but was unable to connect. Dusty sending email direct to her. +++ October 21, 2020 Dusty arrived to farmhouse ~7:45 a.m. Joyce was sleeping in her recliner without oxygen line in place but woke easily and was responsive to interrogatives.  7:50 a.m. - Bathroom trip. Urinary incontinence issue requiring diaper and diaper pad insert change. Urine and small Type 5 bowel movement passed. Dusty asked Joyce if it would be acceptable for Dawson to come visit him on Sunday while he was out at the farm and Joyce agreed that would be fine...

Dusty arrived to farmhouse ~7:45 a.m., finding Joyce seating herself onto bathroom toilet riser. Joyce had soiled herself (Type 5) out in her recliner but the diaper held everything in place. Joyce attempted to hide her soiled diaper from Dusty as she did not want to be showered. Dusty removed diaper (Joyce had removed and rolled her diaper pad insert and was in the process of cleaning her hands with toilet paper when Dusty arrived into the bathroom to assist).  Joyce showered and placed into fresh clothes. Joyce unable to walk under her own power, had to be sat onto her walker and wheeled out to kitchen ~8:50 a.m., choosing to sit in the blue chair. Joyce refused breakfast. Dusty sanitized bathroom riser, sink, and floor. 9:05 a.m. - Vitals taken. 2 attempts at BP as Joyce would not focus to hold still. BP 163/96, pulse 82. BGL @ 131. Joyce continued to refuse breakfast. 9:07 a.m. - Nutritional shake and morning medication (carvedilol, metformin, 2 Tylenol, multivitamin, pota...

October 18, 2020 Addendum Dusty provided update on Joyce's day and where everything was at in process (laundry, dishes, recliner drying, etc.) to Connie who arrived ~1:08 p.m. to farmhouse. Dusty purchased tarp and bungee cords from town and returned to farmhouse after working on Palouse Anthropology projects in the afternoon to place them over the powered recliner so that Joyce could use it overnight. Dusty returned to farmhouse after conclusion of evening meetings to drop off tarp and bungee cords for covering Joyce's powered recliner for Connie. Connie had traveled into Moscow already and purchased a brace of waterproof crib covers and put them into place. Dusty stored tarp and bungee cords into laundry room storage area in event they are needed in the future. Connie reported that Joyce had only slept for ~10 minutes since Dusty left to work at Theatre Archives.  Connie, Jess and Dusty visited a while with Joyce. Jess discovered Joyce had been hiding a salt shaker and Advil ...

October 17, 2020 Jess provided care all day (Dusty joining her after his training event for Scouts concluded in the afternoon).  8:25 a.m. - Jess arrive to farmhouse finding Joyce awake without her oxygen line in place. Joyce informed Jess that she had just returned from using the bathroom. 8:33 a.m. - Vitals taken. BP 184/108, pulse 78. BGL @105. 8:35 a.m. - 1/2 nutritional shake and morning medication (Carvedilol, Metformin, 2 Tylenol, multivitamin, iron, potassium). 8:40 a.m. - Breakfast (Rosauers cinnamon roll with all frosting removed by Joyce - 80% eaten, remainder of nutritional shake). Breakfast finished ~9:04 a.m. 9:10 a.m. - Bathroom trip without incident. Urine passed. PT walk halfway across blue livingroom and then back to her chair. 9:24 a.m. - Earl Grey tea. 9:27 a.m. - Lidocaine patch applied to Joyce's back, Tiger Balm patch applied to Joyce's left knee. 10:26 a.m. - Bathroom trip without incident. Urine and Type 6 bowel movement passed.  11:05 a.m. - Pillow on...

October 15, 2020 Addendum Dusty visited with Connie when she arrived to farmhouse as he was packing up to leave. They discussed dates for next family meeting to plan for November, December, January care for Joyce when Dusty is required to end remote work and return to working at his campus office.  +++ October 16, 2020 Dusty arrived to farmhouse ~8:50 a.m. after picking up the replacement basket for Joyce's walker from Northwest Respiratory and stopping by post office. Joyce found awake and sitting upright in her recliner.  Joyce stated she had already taken herself to the bathroom but could not recall when. Yesterday's clothes were draped over her walker, Joyce having traveled into family room to get herself fresh clothes at some point before Dusty arrived (fresh skirt, 3 long sleeve shirts). Dusty inspected Joyce's clothes from yesterday and did not discover any evidence of soiling or urinary incontinence.  9:15 a.m. - Vitals taken, BP 168/107. BGL @ 124. Joyce given nu...

October 14 Addendum Dusty picked up supplies for farmhouse (2 boxes of XL disposable gloves, 2 packages of diaper pad inserts, 1 package of diapers, bread, saltine crackers, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, paper towels).  Dusty received notice via email that his test results showed negative for COVID-19.  +++ October 15, 2020 Dusty arrived to farmhouse ~8:10 a.m. after traveling to UI campus to unlock his department's training room for use. Craig on-site and assisted Dusty with carrying in supplies purchased yesterday. Joyce was found to have just traveled to the bathroom and seated herself on toilet riser. Joyce had urinary incontinence issue requiring removal of diaper and diaper pad insert, appearing to have released her bladder as well as she sat onto the toilet riser. Joyce was in midst of removing her diaper when Dusty arrived to assist. Joyce passed remainder of urine and small Type 5 bowel movement. Joyce returned to her chair ~8:35 a.m., difficulty in walking...