I'm tired of cooking/preparing 3 meals a day. It's just the two of us but boy oh boy can that woman eat!! She stays slimish, I get fattish. It's bad enough I do everything here much less start making her one thing and me the other. At times I feel guilty when I buy her fast food cuz of the nutritional value....not to mention I eat it too.
We just make sure all the moisture is dried up.
I agree with you that a yeast infection is very unpleasant and painful so it is very important to be vigilant as you are. Those under breast areas should be cleaned every day even if you can only use a wipe.
When I suggested a sponge bath I was thinking more in terms of laying on the bed rather than sitting or standing at the bathroom sink
Put a bath sheet on the bed and have her lie down and cover with another bath sheet. She can wash whatever she wishes but you can take over and get the under arms and under breasts. Only uncover the part you are washing. Wash right down her belly but not between her legs. Wash her legs and feet keeping the genital area covered (another place I am sure she doesn't like you to go.) Pay special attention to her feet and between her toes which is another area where the fungus can grow. Be sure to dry between the toes well.
Now have her roll onto her side and wash her back. Now you can get at the genital area from behind and do a really good job. Apply Peparation H tm to any area of redness around the anus, and inspect the vaginal area for any discharge.
many women refuse help with bathing especially if they are older and it is a family member because of embaressment Respecting her privacy may go a long way to getting her co-operation and getting a thorough job done.
Now if after you done a few bed baths and she is willing you can try the shower again and she may be more prepared to let you touch those private areas.
Today, she forgot how to turn the ceiling fan off and said it must be broken. I stood up and pulled the chain - fan off! She said, "Oh...I guess I was pulling the wrong chain" - so it never dawned on her to try the other chain - just stood there and kept pulling the wrong one.
I hate this for her. It's these little things that the rest of the family (one sibling in particular) doesn't see and brushes under the rug, because they don't want to believe Mom is aging and the decline is progressing more rapidly these days. The one sibling asks if Mom reads, or keeps her mind active. Yes, of course she does - I make sure she has books, magazines, and her senior newspaper - I pay for the subscriptions myself - and she reads them, but says often that she can't seem to focus for very long and would rather watch tv.
Mom *did* shower yesterday, after we really had it out over the shower issue. This is *not* a case of being afraid of water, small spaces or anything else - it's part of the encroaching dementia - the loss of interest in doing things she normally would do as part of her daily routine. She simply doesn't care to shower, and it's difficult (too much work) to lift her legs and get into the shower (I do help with that) - so she doesn't want to do it. After a very long talk, during which both of us broke down in tears - me in frustration because all I want is for her to be healthy (part of which is being CLEAN), and she because she felt I was being too hard on her about the shower thing, which she sees as a non-issue - she finally understood that all I was trying to do is what is best for her.
I felt like a wrung out dishrag at the end of that one.
Today, though - my nephew said at breakfast (Mom wasn't there) that before I moved in w/Mom, the house "smelled really bad", and that no one wanted to visit. Now, he said, it smells nice in there! The smell before I moved in was from the open sores on Dad's legs that weren't being cared for, and lack of showering by both Mom and Dad. I count that as a major victory.
otherwise i dont have a fuss this am . gonna have more coffee and go see edna . poa is giving me a little hassle but im staying focused ; ednas QOL near her end of life . family always gets emotional and lashes out during these times . aint gonna let it bother me .
themmmmn ,
themmmmn,
f themmmnn..
lol
Also I do try to get her away from the tv too but it's her go to.
Why is it, our mother's at times, find our ailments funny? My mom did the same laughing bit yesterday at the Dr's office. Her blood pressure is awesome. Mine is about to explode at any moment. Seriously. Anywho, she laughed and said ha ha mine is better than yours. *smirk* well that *smirk* quickly faded when I told her if I had a heart attack or stroke her next stop was a nursing home cuz her precious sonnnnsssss where damn sure not going to do what I do. HA!
Get your happy back hope22....life seems easier when you ignore the stupid and find sunshine. Speaking of sunshine and summer.... it can be 98 degrees outside and someone I won't mention will wear a sweatshirt and jacket. I finally had to hide her knit hat cuz I swear she'd wear that too!! Last night she must have been cold (I'm sweating buckets) so what does she do? She piles blankets, shirts, socks... on top of the DOG!! LOL!! She likes to project her feelings/wants onto the dogs . hehe... this is how I know what SHE wants. If she says the dogs are probably hungry, it means she is.... if the dogs have to go potty, she means she does.... never a dull moment trying to put the puzzle together :D