Bullying
Of course there was torment and bullying. Who hasn’t been bullied? There are different degrees Read the rest of this entry »
Monthly Archives: June 2013
Again? Thank you for the prayers.
Advocacy. Listening. Persistence. Life. Health. POA. TPN. SICU. Ventilator. Disability. Rehabilitation. Healthcare. These are just a few terms that one’s dear friend is learning by experience. An experience no one wants to find themselves in.
First I do want to thank everyone for their prayers for the person who has shared our home for the past 4 years and I’ve known since age 5. In her struggle for life she found “healthcare is good if you never need it!” She never needed it before, but when she had developed progressive problems no one seemed to hear her complaints. A common complaint to many!
Over a short time she became worse. Finally her body would no longer go regardless of how hard her mind pushed. Her life came to a stand still! She was no longer well enough to work. She feared loosing her jobs. Now, all she wants is her health. We all have hope and prayer.
It’s been a tough month, but something I’m familiar with … on all levels! I was saddened to see how healthcare professionals expect everyone (regardless of education) to know exactly what was happening and to totally understand everything in their time of crisis.
It seems like no one has time to educate. What’s more important than health? It’s been a time to constantly educate and that’s kept me busy in a way I’d rather not be but I’m comfortable with this yet exhausted and overwhelmed. There is no routine.
My dear friend is entering territory that no one wants to enter. Her future looks bleak, so it’s day-by-day … but hopeful!
Persistence saved her life. Albeit, quality of life altered significantly. Five attempts at getting proper healthcare. Finally someone heard her desperate plea for help but most importantly they did blood work. She’s never been sick in her entire life.
The next thing I knew she was calling to let me know they were preparing her for the first emergency surgery. I arrived within the hour at the emergency room. After two surgeries and a number of medical procedures she is now off a ventilator but continues to struggle for life in an acute rehabilitation center with many medical complications from multi-system failure.
It’s unbelievable that she survived and I know anyone who had visited during this time feels the same. Her outcome is unpredictable, and only time will tell.
Education has been out but others don’t act upon it. I just want everyone to make sure they clearly know what they need to do in a true life-altering medical emergency. Do you have a Healthcare Power of Attorney? Do you have a Financial Power of Attorney? Don’t wait till this happens. Every second counts when dealing with life-threatening illness and injuries.
Do you have a place where updated telephone numbers are easily accessible? Do you know what your loved one wants? Please have these discussions. It’s your responsibility and its your life! Time is of essence when dealing with life-altering illness or injuries. It’s a time of action and support, and not time for discussion.
Who are your advocates? Being prepared makes these crisis easier to handle. Are you ready if it happens in your family? If you panic in crisis do you have someone who will react calmly to the most devastating news?
Related articles
- DIY Documents, Part 4: Powers of Attorney (leichtlaw.wordpress.com)
- Finances and Your Aging Parents (creditrepair.com)
- Piper’s emergency surgery (paisleyandpiper.wordpress.com)
- Rates of Emergency Bowel Surgery Vary Wildly from State to State: John Hopkins Researchers (medindia.net)
**********All material presented on Brain Injury Self Rehabilitation (BISR) is copyright and cannot be, copied, reproduced, or distributed in any way without the express, written consent of Edith E. Flickinger, BSN RN.
Loving and living with someone when they have Cerebral Palsy, Seizures, and Brain Dysfunction (Part 4 of Series)
Catastrophic reactions and safety issues
When she is in crisis, it’s nearly impossible to find peace and calm within the household. It’s easy to cause a catastrophic reaction Read the rest of this entry »
Laughter as brain injury medicine …
It is great to wake early in the morning and get to the pool before it gets busy. It’s also routine to walk out of the house with keys in hand to unlock the car door before driving off. What’s not routine is sitting in the passenger seat with keys in hand and waiting for…what I have no idea?
No, I don’t know why I was in the passenger seat! It was far past midnight so I’ve already turned into a Pumpkin or maybe 5:30 a.m. I was Pumpkin Pie! Oh the silly things we do … and it’s really never a problem if one figures it out.
Hey, I realized I couldn’t drive while in the passenger seat. It’s really only a problem if I think I can start the car in the passenger side of the vehicle and drive away. I was safe with the seatbelt on in the passenger side, even though I wasn’t going anywhere!
What did you do that seems bizarre, but in your heart you know you’re not alone?
**********All material presented on Brain Injury Self Rehabilitation (BISR) is copyright and cannot be, copied, reproduced, or distributed in any way without the express, written consent of Edith E. Flickinger, BSN RN.
Laughter as brain injury medicine … Do you hear what I hear
When I woke this morning I heard a faint buzzing or ringing tone. It sounded to me as though Read the rest of this entry »
Loving and living with someone when they have Cerebral Palsy, Seizures, and Brain Dysfunction (Part 3 of Series)
Brain injury, intelligence, rigidity, moving
She is intelligent and has developed many ways to compensate by using the computer. Her physical activity Read the rest of this entry »
Simple tips for brain and spinal cord injury, illness, injury, aging, children, adults, everyone … Questions to ask your healthcare professionals
When you come across health issues there are a number of questions you and your advocate need to ask. It’s difficult to know what questions to ask when your world is turned upside down and you are not familiar with healthcare systems. Either the patient or the advocate, or both should ask these questions.
The best outcome to all health issues is dependent on the educated patients and advocates. Asking the following questions will help you take control, eliminate some stress and struggles with healthcare and focus on ones optimal level of functioning. This is a comprehensive but not all inclusive list of questions to ask your healthcare provider. Read the rest of this entry »
Laughter as brain injury medicine … hair spray
I reached for hair spray to spritz a little that maintains some style and eliminates the static hair. Oh, the hair seemed Read the rest of this entry »
Loving and living with someone when they have Cerebral Palsy, Seizures, and Brain Dysfunction (Part 2 of Series)
Healthcare based on education, experience (personal or professional?), perception
A couple examples of how healthcare professionals have responded are quite ignorant. They should be educated, but accusations with children are common and blame parents Read the rest of this entry »
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