Father woke up today at 6:45AM “exhausted”. As he was getting dressed, he said, “I think it’s gotta shit – and I think it’s shitting now.” Yes, he was filling his nappy. I helped him to the washroom. After his BM, he was quite dirty. I put him on his seat in the shower and tried my best to shower him, but he couldn’t lean forward or to the side or stand up, even a little, so I’ll let the HC workers do that.
He wet the bed quite a bit this time. His nappy was not only full of poop but very heavy with urine as well. I’d like to find a way to go shopping today to get that condom catheter.
The homecare nurses came. I asked about going shopping. One worker suggested we might qualify for respite – a break (from 1 to 8 hours) so as to go shopping, rest, close one’s eyes, etc. I’ll phone today.
“You got any of that funny stuff?” He’s looking for whiskey. I told him that he’ll have some after the last nurse leaves this evening. … Then I went a little bit farther. I told him, “You know what my childhood was like? Me sitting at home while you’re getting drunk with your friends in the shop. That’s what my childhood was like. And I’ll be damned if I’m gonna put up with that shit now. I’m sorry if you don’t like that or you don’t like me. I can leave if you like. Don’t matter to me.”
Quietness.
It’s ten o’clock in the fucking morning. Seriously?
Watching the news on TV, he tries to use the cordless phone to turn on and off the TV and change the volume. The dial tone comes on speakerphone, but he cannot figure out why it’s not working. “How do you make it stop?” “You mean, ‘turn it off’?” I ask him. “That’s what people say – ‘turn off’ – not ‘make it stop’.” He snaps to a little bit and figures out what’s going on. “How do I turn it off?” “Use the TV remote.” “The clicker?” “Yup, that’s the one.” <sigh>
He’s in bed now. 8:45PM. He forgot to take his jeans off. I had to pull them off him. Then he had to pee. Then he forgot to pull up his nappy. But he’s down for the night again.