If I’m getting this right we are at the, “Storm Before the Calm, I Hope.” In the past few months Robert’s coughing, wheezing, seizures and the such all have seem to be getting out of control. Not saying we can’t control it, most of you know mine and Trish’s attitude toward, control. There is nothing I can think of that between us over the past almost seventeen years that we have been unable to control. Things may get out of hand a bit, but we have a way of reeling it in and turning it around. Back to Robert, this past few days alone Robert has had several pretty major seizures within an hour of waking up, today’s being the worst. Trish was helping Robert with his shower, while I was doing the kitchen duties and as I’m there with milk steaming for Trish’s mocha, I hear “GET ME HIS WALKER!” I know right away he’s down for the count and it usually last 30 seconds to a couple of minutes and then he’s fine. I could tell by the way he was positioned this one was different. Think of holding a pretzel, vertically between a wall and your knee, chest and hands and the pretzel is sliding down. That was Robert, she can normally catch it and get him onto the toilet seat fast enough and hold him there but not today. This seizure did a number on him, his seizure was longer and more intense than normal, at one point he was breathing through his nose deeply and in a split second nothing. I didn’t say anything at the time, but Trish did we both thought he stopped breathing, luckily that was not the case. Now because Robert was still unable to respond to us and seemed to be having a hard time breathing, giving him an oral medicine was not happening.There is a medicine that can be given to help stop or cut the effects of seizures and it’s administered similar to an enema. Trish asked me to grab it and just as I walked into the restroom with it he actually said something incoherent to Trish (wipe sweat of brow here), that’s better than nothing. As he was coming out of it at one point he started saying in this low, pain filled, child like voice, ‘Help Me, Help Me.” That just tugged at my heart stings and I can still see his face and hear that voice.
Robert was still very slow to respond to us fully so as he was sitting on the floor, non responsive, dazed, saying ouch when you tried helping him up, we made the decision that we had to at the least get him up onto the toilet seat and out of the awkward position he was now in. He was still pretty out of it and was unable to answer our questions, tell us who we were or where he was, so Trish went with the oral medicine, Ativan. Ativan is designed to help stop and prevent seizures. When he was finally able to take the Ativan Robert thought he was rinsing out his mouth when he was given some water to swallow the pill with. It took some talking to him but eventually we got him to swallow the pill. After a few minutes I asked him if he knew who I was and with a Robert type pause he looked at me with a face that said, “What don’t you know who you are?” and he said Richard. I repeated the question pointing to Trish this time and another pause and out came, Trish. I Tried with his best friend, Taz (Not, he our year old black lab), that was too much to soon. Progress for now.
Trish finished helping Robert, I went and began cleaning up the steamed milk for Trish’s mocha that went all over the kitchen counter and down the front of the dishwasher, when I was in helping with Robert. It feels like a Starbucks morning. Trish was able to finish helping Robert, he then made it to the dining room table for breakfast as we both finished getting ready and after making a mocha & campana (quad espresso with whip cream and “3x” caramel), we all made our way to work and day program. My number one chore for the day, stop by the local pharmacy and pick up a shower chair things have progressed to this point. Remember, every day will be different, be ready for anything, plan for everything and be light on your feet, you’re a caregiver Remember? What keeps you going? What do you have at the ready in case of an emergency? What’s that one tip you have for being ready? I would really like to hear what you have waiting, please send your tips to me at pickyourpain@att.net.
Authors Bio: Richard Kreis cares for his mom part-time (heart disease & strokes), co-cares for his brother in-law who lives with intractable epilepsy and lives with him and his wife. Richard also co-cares for himself with his wife due to chronic back pain of 21 yrs. now. Richard is hosts his own blog site, PickYourPain.org and does scheduling for a local HVAC company. He is also the Director of Sponsorship’s for Caregiving.com and blogs on the site, does internet radio shows and moderate chats as well. Richard is a Notary Public who specializes in Real Estate. He enjoys blogging, meditation, yoga, photography and art. Richard’s family (including his pets) are his primary past times.
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