It is the same process, every single night.
Mundane…sameness…always the same monotonous events that take place for bedtime.
- Brush his teeth, but don’t use the minty toothpaste. He doesn’t like that one.
- Wash his face, but only in certain spots. It makes him chilly to have his face damp.
- Use a q-tip and scratch the itches his fingers can no longer reach. He gets that look in his eye when you find that good spot, not unlike a dog feels when you hit the magic spot.
- Use a bit of tissue, and pick at his nose. (I used to feel squeamish getting up in each nostril, but now, my stomach doesn’t even do a little flip flop as my fingers go up and wiggle around, the tissue swiping at any loose snot balls.)
- One medicine for anxiety, one for sadness. One that is supposed to slow down his progression. We know two out of three of those meds work for certain.
- Pour a capful of white powder and swirl around until dissolved. (It helps him poop.)
- Place the pills in his mouth, his tongue is twitching again. Quickly lift the thickened water to his lips.
- Remove his lap blanket and place the hand-held urinal between his legs. Push his legs apart so that he pees in the urinal and not all over himself.
- Roll into the bedroom and start a machine. The clicking of air, pushing in and out, his cheeks puffed, as he coughs. (The cough is weaker now. Nothing much ever comes out. I can’t tell if I should be thankful for that or not.)
- He tells me he thinks he may be getting sick. His throat hurts and he feels warm. I tell him he isn’t getting sick and deep down I silently pray I am right.
- Grab the giant metal arm, attach the loops and hit the button. The arm pulls him up and out of his wheelchair. His ass scrapes along his controller, again. I seem to do that every night. He gives me a pouty face, as I apologize…again.
- My face turns red as I pull and twist the metal contraption over towards the bed.
- Grab the remote for the bed to lift the headboard up, as I simultaneously lower the metal arm down on the bed. Push with my shoulders, and pull his legs out straight, so he doesn’t cramp.
Pay attention, Theresa!
- Don’t sit him too high or too low. Keep the headboard at a little less than 90 degrees, just the way he likes it. Unhook the loops, pull the metal arm away from the bed. Tuck it back into the shower, where we can hide it and pretend for just a few hours that it is not a necessary tool for me to move him to and fro.
- Pull the straps and the sling out from under him.
- He winces.
- Place the bandaid over the bridge of his nose. It looks raw and sore again.
- The mask goes on next. Hit the ON button. It screeches to life.
- Find the remote for the headboard, which is now buried between his legs and blankets. The dog is laying by his feet. The dog isn’t much help.
- Laying him slowly back, there is one more thing. Scratches…
- Grab the baby powder by the night stand
- Dump it anywhere there is a crevice. (I’ll save you the embarrassment of describing all the places that baby powder goes.)
- Attempt to roll him onto his side. Not before he whines. He wants scratchy time to last longer. I do not
- Check for pressure sores. On the back of his legs and his buttocks.
I grunt again…I swear he is more square than he is round.
- Get his leg pillow just right between his legs. Adjust his head pillow to match. (He asks me to push him more. He isn’t on his side all the way. He will tip back over if he isn’t just so. Several more attempts. Several more grunts)
I give one more hard push…
- “OWWW, I think you did something to my back!”
I panic! My eyes scanning his body. I can’t imagine what happened. I pause looking him over, his butt cheeks out in the open, legs bent
- “I don’t think my legs work anymore!”
- Then he giggles.
- Rolling my eyes when I realize he was trying to be funny.
- “Ok, I am going to go lock up.” I say, as I pad barefoot out of the bedroom.
- “I’ll be right here!” He yells.
- “Don’t move!” I yell back.
- I shake my head with a little grin.
- It is always the same thing…every single night.
ALS Fact of the Day~ 