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FYI - Just checked amazon and they sell several variety of disposable cream applicators - some specifically for estrogen creams. Some have measurements so that you can make sure to get the right dose loaded. Use and dispose sounds better than trying to clean out the original....Hope this helps...
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As for the cream - You folks might want to check with a local compounding pharmacy. A few years back I tried scopalimine (sp) cream as I was allergic to the patch adhesive. My ENT sent a script to the local compounding pharmacy and they loaded the cream into these neat "cream syringes" that have a plunger and a small cap at the end. They are disposable. Perhaps they will sell you some or give you information about the supplier...certainly an improvement over turkey basters and re-using applicators. The cream I had wasn't for private areas but I am sure it would work just grand!

I look forward to hearing if the UTI's really respond to the cream treatment, as mom has had 4 or 5 over the past 6 months and her orthopedic surgeon is concerned about possible infection in her hip replacement. Apparently it is not uncommon for seniors who get frequent UTIs to develop infections around their artificial joints even without running high temps. (Mom has had two boughts of septic infections - first one lead to replacing the hip for the third time and 2 months of IV antibiotics). So one more item to check...is the hip pain really just nerve stuff from the past surgeries or is there any tenderness developing that might be an infection starting up...
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Oh my goodness..while what all of us are dealing with is difficult I have to admit I got a laugh out of some of these post...gives me hope to see that at least at times one can maintain a sense of humor regardless of the situation.

I had to do the crème with the plunger for my mom in-law and I had to often leave the room to gain control so as not to burst out laughing cuz she'd make comments that would burn the ears off a sailor! She would slyly smile at me but I learned quickly not to laugh or she'd get upset thinking I was "poking" fun at her. It is those light moments that make it easier to keep going I think.
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Oh mouse I cant deal with vomit at all. Diarrhoea no probs urine no probs Vomit oh no I join in instead - it's the smell. The sweet and sour stench of vomit sets me off. I have a similar problem when I empty the trash bin if I leave it too long. It's an utterly involuntary thing because I am sure that Diarrhoea smells worse to most people - interestingly my mother has become anosmic which is great for her because now she cannot smell her own poo or anything else for that matter. As for the belly button I use one cotton bud to dry mums and one to cream it - her belly button gets sore - like your mum she has a full innie too. Mouse Tell me you are going to sterilise that applicator aren't you...and how in gods name did you fill the wrong end - turkey baster would have done the job better. Or a flexible hose with a plunger ....the makers dont consider how difficult it is for the less mobile to do this for themselves at all do they? What we need is somethat looks like a hose but with the ability to draw up the cream like a syringe. Then mum could put it in place and bingo you could depress the syringe part and bingo job done. Hose could be dispoable to avoid the cleaning/reinfection and everyone would be much more content about it
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Dee, I'm surprised at how many professional caregivers seem to turn green when they're dealing with vomit. Three of them have actually said to me that they don't care what they have to mop up at the other end, but they can't cope with puking - one had to sit down in a hurry when I was busily searching for signs of blood streaks in it (there was a worry about a gastric bleed at the time, I wasn't doing it for entertainment).

But ohmygod you should have seen what came out of mother's belly button this morning - ! I took cotton buds to it because she's got a proper "innie" and I wasn't happy I'd dried it thoroughly enough - eeuw eeuw eeuw God knows when that job was last done!!! I thought it was only men who gathered Lowestoft?
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Hahahaha Jude you're a riot! Didn't need the baster though i did manage to load the cream into the wrong end of the applicator today. By the time mom finished there was estrogen cream all over her hand and mine. Washing that applicator is a nightmare but at least she seems to get most of it in the general area...I hope.
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Pfff me an angel? not a chance and I could probably do a lot more. But I have had 2 days break and I have to say that on Saturday night I darned near needed depends as you over the pond call them for myself. I was staying with friends and so I bought the meal they were cooking - seemd fair as I stayed with them and didnt have to go to the expense of a hotel - We were having roast lamb. N was doing the roast potatoes and he put the potatoes into the hot fat and then basted them with a turkey baster - h*ll I laughed so hard I couldn't tell them about what for ages. Neither N nor his fiancee will ever see a turkey baster in the same light again!!!!
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WOW.. I am new to being a caregiver for my twin sister. After reading several of these post I can only say I am grateful our family doctor sent me to this site. I have a hunch I am going to need all the support you offer. My heart goes out to all of you. Jude, you sound like an angel to me and have NO need to feel guilty about anything. Goodness, what more could you do for your Mum.
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Well we did it...i gave mom a shower this morning and told her doc wanted to start her on estrace cream to help prevent future utis. I got it ready, told her what to do, she did her best and hoping most of it got where it's supposed to go. Gross having to clean afterwards but at least it's done for today. 2 weeks of daily apps then 3x week. This better help.
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Cleaning up vomit is the worst. May even trump poop.
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Been reading these posts with mobid curiosity. Never thought as 60 year old man I'd be changing moms depends and helping her bath. We make all attempts to maintain modesty but it ain't always easy.
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As my dad said to me after I said eewww after seeing him suck n kiss my step moms toes .you do things for the people you love .so when it feels uncomfortable at first but in the back of your head you'll do anything for your loved one
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Robots. That might be The Answer. Just program it to play mom's favorite tango dance, and have the robot wheeled it's way up her legs.....and Whooops "WHAT was that? Felt.like an ice cream bar...." oh I think I want some ice cream, now, yes dancing the tango always reminds me of ice cream.
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I won't wipe her butt (as yet) and I don't do toes - which mom thinks is hysterical. Often her toes are sore and she would like me to rub them...but I am super ticklish myself and the idea of handling someones toes makes my skin crawl! (I think every one of her doctors know I won't do toes!)

The article was interesting about the estrogen cream. I do think that doctors who prescribe things should be required to apply those items to someone. (no nurse involved, just the doctor) I think they would be less apt to prescribe the patches and creams applied to various parts! It is hard enough to get the right pills in at the correct times. What is it is just applied to the incontinence pad and hope that some of it will get into the correct spot...Can there be problems using it externally?

Thankfully we have someone who comes in and gives mom a shower 2 X's a week so the personal care goes to her. Mom is happier with that too.

My best to all of my fellow caregivers! Good to know there are others out there who find caregiving YUKKY sometimes!
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Do I find some things difficult to do?....................

In this order:
1. Saliva tops my list (that goes for teeth, spit, vomit)
2. Toenails (and fungus etc etc)
3. Poop & pee
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I think we'll pass on the ring thing. My mom is always thinking she's pregnant or just had a baby. I'm worried messing around "down there" is going to make it worse. I'm going to start the estrogen cream tomorrow - if mom is able to do it herself. If nothing else I'll have her just apply topically - better than nothing, right?
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Ah you might think so Mallory but Mum had to have a ring inserted for something else and now they cant get it out unless they put her under. Now this will mean one of two things either the ring stays put with the risk of infection (god forbid) or the potential for skin to grow round it so that it becomes 'incorporated' (god that sounds vile too) OR they have to give her a general anaesthetic. They trieds it with valium type of drug with an epic fail. they wont give her anaesthesia because at her age it could kill her. So catch 22 really. getting it in was a breeze but out ....not so much. Bit like how we have babies really!!!!!
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well I am serious, there has to be a way to administer suppositories or creams to a senior's rectum, or vagina, without actually touching them invasively. as JudeAH53 says, it could hurt them to use a hard plastic tool.
so I did a little google search and apparently, the doctor could insert an estrogen "ring" instead of the cream. now THAT would be a vast improvement.
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Dee I found this on a UK training site re medication : ALL OTHER FORMULATIONS
If approval has been given for the home carer to administer of any other formulation (e.g. suppositories, pessaries) he/she must be given a practical demonstration of administration provided by a Community Nurse.

Now I dont know what you call a community nurse in the USA but in the UK they are sent out by the doctors to support. That is when I said I wont do this - I did unblock Mum's impacted bowel and it was gross and yes I vomited afterwards. It was only later I was told you mustn't do it - it has to be donme by a professional or by someone who has been trained. Leave the box in the cabinet hun
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Malory that was hysterical I am sat here giggling. Right dont do it Dee youre not trained to do anything invasive and you cant possibly know if you are hurting her. Talk to the doctor there must be another solution and dont take no there isnt for an answer. PS and dont laugh when you speak to him/her
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mine has a prolapsed bladder which stick out of her hoo-haaa like a water balloon.
Talk about something I don't want anything to do with!!! she come up to me in any room, drops her depends and asks if this looks "alright"

*runs screaming from room*

I really can't stand my mother and to address the elephant in the room, you all know the day I'm preying for? If not then you aren't dealing with dementia, j/s.
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Dee, ouch, putting in the applicator could be painful for your Mom, I know I hurt big time using those throw away applicators for yeast infections and here I have total control... can't imagine trying to use it on another person. Too bad the doctor couldn't recommend something else. At one time I had used a patch which was placed on my lower stomach for hormone replacement therapy.
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Hahahaha!!!! A turkey baster??!! Oh geez what a visual image! When I finally get the nerve to attempt this I going to remember that and try not to bust out laughing...ma will want to know what is so funny? Oh geez! I wouldn't know what to say! Disposable apps? Hmm. I gotta try something. This better work, Doc!
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Could you put the estrogen into a turkey baster? I mean that would be not so close to having to stick your fingers right IN there? There has to be a way to insert the cream, without your fingers, as well. A tampon would still have way too much contact for my squeamishness.
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Oh brother, Dee, what fresh hell is this..?

I wonder if you can get disposable applicators, like you can disposable syringes - maybe ask your pharmacist? Although for me, frankly, cleaning a bit of plastic afterwards would be a walk in the park - that's not the bit I'd be worrying about :P
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Jude I think it has an applicator. The doctor just said it's similiar to yeast infection treatment. I didn't think about tearing anything...something else to think/worry about. Plus I'm assuming I have to clean the applicator...aw sh*t! We don't have a visiting nurse. If I can get Ma to do this herself I'll be one happy camper.
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Dee hun just a thought....That estrogen cream.... does it come with an applicator or is this a manual thing ... oh and as an additional thought have you been trained to use it - it is an internal application and whjat would happen if your accidentally tore the skin. Could you not just get someone from a visiting nurse agency to come and do it?
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Re the mammograms, my mom's doctor said she doesn't need them anymore, and that was back when she was 87. Ditto for the tube up the butt procedure. Doc's reasoning is exact as you say, she would not survive any surgery or chemo or radiation, so even if they found cancer thru these uncomfortable exams, they wouldn't be able to treat them. They would just need to go to hospice care, when things progressed. And anyhow we are going to tons of doctor appointments all the time! So if she felt any sicker from cancer, well, she's already at the doctor often enough, if there is some cancer going on, we will realize it by it's symptoms, as they progress. That might seem backwards to some people, but 100 ago they didn't have mammograms or colonoscopies, none of that, people would get cancer, and eventually die from it. I'm sure in undeveloped countries there are lots of older people with undetected and untreated cancer. We all die from something.
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One thing I find difficult to do is take my Mom for her annual mammogram, helping her get ready, sit and wait for the results... yes, some how she gets her GYN to give her orders for that nightmare of a x-ray.... I need to talk to the GYN this time around because my Mom is 97 years old and she is so very frail that it takes two technicians to help her with the x-ray. Then afterward Mom is hurting and grumbling that those girls didn't know what they were doing... [sigh]

Mom insist on having a mammogram because her sister died of breast cancer.... but that was 40 years ago. No surgeon is going to touch Mom, and no Oncologist will give her chemo. So why even bother. If a doctor said that I didn't need to have a mammogram, I would be shouting with glee from the roof tops :0

I don't know what Mom would have done if her only child was a son instead of a daughter.
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That unopened box of estrogen cream fills me with darting pangs of self recrimination every time I see it.
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