7-2-2022 Looking forward to a quiet long weekend

(Tricia)

Linda has had a very quiet week, which is always a good thing! Ed and I have been feeling better. Ed has been able to go back to work. Today, which is 10 days after I first tested positive for COVID and 12 days after Ed tested positive, we both retested. Ed tested negative, but I still tested positive--since he gave this to me, this somehow seems unfair! Regardless, I'll continue stay in the back of the house a day or two longer, just to keep my distance from everyone, and then test again.

Last week, the hospice nurse once again said that Linda is doing well, and if all things stay the same, she will not qualify for hospice at her next evaluation. So, I need to start making preparations for her coming off hospice, such as transferring her into palliative care, making doctor's appointments (virtual, at this point), and restarting some form of in-home physical therapy--which, as we know from recent history, is bound to make Linda unhappy! But this time, the PT, which will be available through palliative care, will just be to keep her moving as much as possible. 

Linda is eating well (she is obsessed with hot dogs, for some reason!) and has lucid moments. But she still has significant memory loss (she still occasionally asks where Mother is), which is always hard. Unfortunately, she is unlikely to walk again, but there is a small chance that therapy might help her grow strong enough to sit in a regular wheelchair, which would open up some possibilities. It's worth a try, if nothing else. And of course, we're still worried about infection returning.

I'm trying not to look too far ahead, simply because the situation is so uncertain. At some point though, likely in a month or so, I will need to reevaluate the caregiving schedule, in terms of reducing hours and figuring out how much I'm comfortable taking on. I know that it is not going to be easy to balance caregiving, work, and my personal life. I'm hoping that good solutions will present themselves!

For now, though, we're enjoying a quiet weekend. Ed's free to take his "COVID-negative self" to the front of the house once again, while I remain in the back bedroom (like I said, no fair!). Tomorrow, he'll head to his family's annual reunion, which will be fun for him. 

In the meantime, I hope everyone has a happy July 4th weekend!

Photo by Tom Dahm on Unsplash



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