Oxygen Balls

Muddear is always up to something new. Her latest antics started last Friday night and still continue - daily. Muddear has decided that she doesn't want to wear her oxygen anymore. Why? I don't know, nor can I imagine. I know - this isn't completely abnormal. The weird thing is that she rolls the entire oxygen cord (about 50 feet), canula and all, into a tight ball and hides it.

Sometimes the ball is tied with miscellaneous strips of material that Muddear randomly discovers within the recesses of her room or drawers. Sometimes the ends are tied together; however the end result is a ball. Over the last few days, the "oxygen cord ball" has been found under the covers, under the bed, behind the bed, etc. When asked about this mysterious phenomenon, Muddear makes one of the following statements:

1. "I don't know how it got like that. I didn't do!"
2. "It fell off and rolled into a ball like that."
3. "I didn't know what it was so I rolled it into a ball and threw it!"

Isn't that odd?

Back To The Hosptial

Muddear and I have been bumbling around for the past hour and a half doing a little of everything and a bunch of nothing. We have finished the morning breakfast and medication routine, albeit a little late.

I will never understand how Muddear makes a production out of taking her breathing treatment. On average, a breathing treatment should take 12 minutes. This morning, Muddear began her breathing treatment at 10:24 a.m. and did not finish until 11:05 a.m. That's 41 minutes!

Of course you are probably wondering, "how is that possible?" I can only describe...

What is supposed to happen is: Muddear should hold the mouthpiece in her mouth and breath deeply to inhale the medication into her lungs. End of story.

Instead, what actually happens is (I'll share this morning's experience.): Muddear started taking the treatment while sitting in her wheelchair. She decided she was cold and got in the bed, thus knocking over the nebulizer (machine that facilitates the treatment). Her nose started running and she couldn't find the Kleenex that were sitting right next to the bed. She finds the Kleenex, blows her nose, and then cannot locate the oxygen cannula she removed from her nose to blow it. Okay we are all settled again. I come back to check, Muddear has now gotten out of the bed and back into her wheelchair. She needs to blow her nose and cannot find the toilet tissue. Now repeat the entire nose blowing action above. This goes on several more times which equals...41 minutes.

Well, now it's time for wash-up and dressing. There has been no change in Walter's condition and we are headed back to St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

I'll keep you posted.

PRO2 = Confusion

Of all the things that could possibly go wrong, the unexpected happened. Last night Muddear's oxygen machine stopped working. What could have been a crisis situation was not, because we had a back-up plan. (Always have a back-up plan, especially if you are a caregiver.) We simply contacted PRO2 Respiratory Services http://www.pro2llc.com/ - our service provider for the oxygen machine, portable oxygen tanks, Nebulizer, and supplies associated with the above equipment - for a service call. We then disconnected Muddear's oxygen tubing from the oxygen machine and connected the same to one of the many portable oxygen tanks we store at home.

This simple changed caused Muddear a great deal of confusion and anxiety. Initially, at the time of the switch, Mike explained to Muddear what was happening. I could immediately see the look of utter confusion on her face. He proceeded to explain again, in more simple terms, that the oxygen machine was broken and that she would temporarily have to use the portable oxygen tank. The only thing necessary for Muddear to do, was use the bedside commode instead of the bathroom in the hall. Unfortunately, Muddear was still confused so we left her alone momentarily to marinate on the concept.

About 15 minutes later she called me.

"Nikki, I need you to come here please."
"What's going on Muddear?"
"I am 95 years old and I can't be using these new fangled machines."

Patiently, I explained again why she was using the portable oxygen machine. About 30 minutes later...

"Nikki, I need to talk to you."
"What do you need to talk about?"
"I am too old to have to use these new modern day machines."

Again, I patiently explained why she was using the portable oxygen machine. Thankfully, about 15 minutes later, the service technician arrived (talk about excellent service) to deliver a new oxygen machine. We disconnected the tubing from the portable tank, reconnected it to the actual machine, and smiled about a job well done. About 30 minutes later...

"Nikki, come here!"
"Yes, Muddear?"
"Why do I have to use this new thing? I am too old to learn to use something new."
"Muddear, you are no longer using the portable tank. You were using it because the oxygen machine you normally use was broken. But remember the man who just left? He replace the old one and you are no longer using the oxygen tank."
"Oh, okay."

Muddear seemed content with this explaination, and was just finishing up her dinner when...

"Nikki?"
"Yes?"
"All of this is new to me. Why do I have to use this new machine?"
"Muddear, do you remember me explaining this to you a few minutes ago?"
"I don't think you understood my question."
"Yes, I did understand your question."
"Then I don't think I understood your answer."

I explained the oxygen situation again and reassured Muddear that she was no longer connected to the portable tank, but to the regular oxygen machine. After thinking it over again, Muddear declares:

"Well, that's that! I understand."

I really believe she did understand, because the topic was never brought up again and Muddear could move on to being confused about something else.