Cabin Fever

02/28/2015

According to Wikipedia® Cabin Fever was first recorded in 1838 for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in a small space, with nothing to do for an extended period.  Cabin Fever describes the extreme irritability and restlessness a person may feel in these situations.

I am not saying that we have nothing to do but when I took Mother to her hair appointment this morning she did not have a hat on, her coat was unbuttoned and no gloves. It is 13 degrees. The sun is shinning and that was enough to fool everyone that it was really a pleasant day out. NOT.

Things are really progressing with JW's home care. I am so encouraged. The V.A. called me yesterday and we have been approved for the ramp on the front of the house and a chair lift up the back 4 steps into my parent's apartment. I want to get JW out of the house and into some fresh air. Not while it is this cold out but by the time the construction is done on the ramp it should be warm enough that we can get him outside for a few minutes. My Father loves the front porch. Even if he is just sitting in the glider sleeping he is in the sunshine and I would expect that it makes him feel all warm and fuzzy. We have been extra cautious of anyone who is around JW this winter to try and prevent colds. He has done really well (knock on wood) and only had one slight cold this season.

Mother and Miss Brittany are settling into a routine. As a matter of fact my job as foot bath person has been taken away from me. I asked Mother why the foot bath was not in it's designated place and I was informed that Miss Brittany had given him a foot bath on Thursday. Funny how a little thing can throw you completely off balance. Foot bath time was my chore. I'm not sure if she gave him a foot massage and cut his toe nails. I will have to check that. The shorts in the shower is working out really well. I am so glad that he is getting regular showers. I think that sometimes Mother and Miss Brittany just sit in the living room with JW and eat snacks and visit for 2 hours. That is fine though, it is another voice for my Mother to listen to also. I've been told by his case manager that Alzheimer patients respond very well to being in their own space and being pampered. JW is spoiled, there is no way around that fact. Once you become a primary care giver you would be surprised that this does not present itself as a burden but as a chance to spend as much time with the patient as possible. You come up with all kinds of solutions to solve what you perceive as a problem.

Case in point. The JW sitter that we had been using for quite sometime now got into a spot of trouble with James, my husband. It takes quite a bit of planning to even go out of the house for even 2 hours. Last weekend, James, had planned for JW to get a haircut in addition to a shave. 20 minutes before the sitter was to arrive he texted James to let him know that he and his friends were tied up. I'm not sure what tied up means but it was the third time for a no show so he was informed that his services would no longer be required. Now we are trying to find a shaver and hair cutter again. The going out problem has been solved quite nicely. James has brought a video baby monitor to put in the living room downstairs. With the video monitor Mother can turn it on when we go out and James can monitor JW on the screens upstairs. We had already set up video surveillance on the outside of the house so no one can wander off. So all James had to do was purchase the new monitor and hook it up to our system. I think that it will work out fine. We have not tried it yet, but we will.

Have a great day!! If you are in a cold place try to deal with your Cabin Fever and remember Spring is on the way.

Phyllis