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Everything Changes

The more messed up this world gets, the more God makes sense.

Fall Down Go Boom

It is hard to see someone fall down, even harder if they are related to you, and horrible if the faller has been assigned to your care! I did a road trip with my parents this week. We (siblings) are relocating them so they are closer to family that can care for them. About an hour before we reached our final destination I was assisting my mom, who uses a walker, at a highway rest area. I didn't want her to fall down. And neither did my dad. Unfortunately HE lost his step and hit the ground behind me.

The first thing he said was, "I hit my head." Great! I am taking care of my parents and I let him fall down and hit his head! Oh my. There was blood. Not a lot, but blood nonetheless. As I helped him up and over to a nearby bench a woman came by and said, "My husband is a doctor. Do you want him to come over and help?"

Ummm. YES!

Doctor Paul was amazing with my dad. Asked him all sorts of questions, bandaged him up using a first aid kit that another passerby supplied and was generally polite and extremely helpful. My dad was fine and wouldn't require additional medical care.

My nerves were shot, on the other hand, and I think I NEEDED meds!

Let me back up. Both of my parents suffer from Parkinson's disease - which is why they need assistance walking. Both of my parents are 77 years old. The house we moved them out of is where my dad grew up. Huge changes for both of them.

Which is why I need to find some Schick Injector Blades.
When you have lived as long as my dad has lived you get used to things the way they are. Or the way things have always been. And my dad still uses injector blades - on the same razor handle he's probably owned for 50 years.

I bought him an updated razor today, the kind with the replaceable cartridges, but I'm not sure he will use it. So later today I'm going on a hunt for injector blades. I even Googled them to find out if they were still available. After all, with the changes my dad has had to endure (new home, new city, new razor blades) I need to keep him as comfy as possible.

And I need to help BOTH my parents land on their feet.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 at 4:07 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.

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8:26 PM

I'm glad your parents have taken this step. It must have been a little heartbreaking for them though.
Hope these golden years are filled with love and joy to overcome the changes.
Sometimes when elderly people have a fall and hit their head they can get symptoms of a subdural hematoma that show up later on down the road. Watch for signs of confusion or lost balance slurred speech ... weakness anywhere. It can present itself like stroke symptoms.
I think if this doesn't show up after two or three weeks he should be ok.

And don't beat yourself up for this ... I know it is hard and every caregiver feels awful when something like this happens. You are doing a good thing and these things just happen when you aren't ready for them and sometimes they happen when you are.

Blessings to you    



4:50 PM

Being a caregiver is very, very stressful. My family just moved my 47 year old sister into a long term care facility, because her cancer has spread. She is using a walker and a wheelchair at times as her balance has been affected by the tumour on her brain stem.

We were just beside ourselves about her care, and realizing we couldn't give her the care she needed at home, but she got so sick at my Dad's, they had to call an ambulance because they couldn't help her up the stairs. My Dad is in his 75th year.

We had to find a good long term care facility for her and there were some major trials that hit a very basic emotional level for all of us, but especially so for my sister.

I thank God though because he sent an angel named Debbie to help get things sorted out.

My sister is doing so well now. She's being cared for and doesn't have to worry about anything except living!

Hang in there, God will not abandon your parents. Change is hard, especially for the elderly, but with your family's love and support it will work out for the best and you will all have the peace that you need.    



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