Medical aids

Over the course of a year we learned about a number of aids, services and treatments and we had to make some temporary adjustments in our home.

SAFETY & MOBILITY

The Evolution 'Xpresso' walker 

As frustrating as Veterans Affairs can be to deal with, I have to thank them for financial help in keeping Glenn more comfortable. I appreciated the fact that Glenn knew when it was time to give up his car. He accepted that as graciously as he did using a walker because he understood that it just didn't make sense to wobble around with a cane (or walking stick, as he preferred to call it) and risk a fall. But if a walker is needed, how nice to have the cream of the crop, the Evolution Xpresso, which, I believe, sells for about $560.00 Canadian. It comes in three different seat heights and a variety of colours. The nice thing about a walker is that it provides a handy seat wherever you go. And, the nice thing about the Xpresso in particular is that it has no outside cables to catch on things, and it folds sideways rather than front to back.

 Sure, you can hoist it up and put it in the trunk of the car...

But why, when it can be simply rotated into the back seat. All you do is tilt the folded walker backwards so that the front comes up like a rearing horse, roll it forward closer to the car, place the front wheels into the car, and flip it forward. No lifting required. This matters when you're taking a walker in and out of the car several times a day.

SAFETY & COMFORT AT HOME

Bath tub

When you're weak and shaky, sometimes it's best to sit down. We had the hand-held shower installed for this purpose.

 

There are two permanent hand rails on the walls but we also got this side grab bar. The plastic one on the left was borrowed from the Red Cross until we got our own. A worker in a medical supply store told me that he preferred the metal type, like ours on the right, because the plastic ones these days are quite slippery. Veterans Affairs covered all these bathtub products.

Bed

The bed rail fits between mattress and boxspring or, in our case with our unorthodox bed, just under the mattress. I think these cost about $90.

The ROHO mattress overlay

Well, this is not a ROHO overlay but is similar to one. This helps to alleviate pressure soreness from having to be in bed or in the same position a lot. The ROHO Glenn tried was black, made of different material and had many more 'bumps' but he preferred this cushion from the Red Cross. This, of course, goes under the bottom sheet.

Smaller cushions are available for wheelchairs. There are also types of mattress overlays that continually alternate air pressure in the individual pockets.

Foam wedges

Glenn had to sleep in an elevated position to help with breathing, and then he needed knee support. These are on top of the bed only for display. We were constantly adjusting/adding/removing pillows on top of the upper body wedge to any combination which would allow him to sleep.

Not only did the two wedges serve different purposes, the photo on the right shows their different sizes. Wedge, bolster, whatever - Veterans Affairs policy is to pay for only one foam item every three years.

SKIN

After a couple of radiation treatments, the skin on Glenn's back erupted in red welts and became excruciatingly itchy. The cancer clinic people emphatically said it wasn't a reaction from the radiation. Maybe not directly but obviously his body was reacting to it. Cancer clinic doctors and regular clinic doctors couldn't figure it out (our own dr. must have been away). These are just some of the products we tried that were of no use while Glenn suffered through an agonizing month. My recommendation - get in to see a dermatologist as fast as possible. He prescribed a compound that gave relief almost instantly. Veterans Affairs apparently doesn't pay for compounds.

Toe pad

It never would have occurred to me to go to a foot doctor but a home care nurse suggested it. Conveniently, a foot doctor is right in our neighbourhood. Although I took care of Glenn's feet most of the time, we soon set up a regular appointment schedule because more and more issues were cropping up. Above is a handy little silicone cushion that we never knew about. This kept pressure off a toe that bent down more than usual which caused a sore spot on the end. Veterans Affairs covers a number of appointments per year (nine, I think), but not the toe pad which cost $10-15.

Before we had agreed to have visits from home care nurses, I was told that they often have little 'tricks'. One must be this flexible mesh material that they recommended for using on rough spots on feet. I wish I could remember what exactly it was for... it has something to do with buildings so is probably available in building/hardwares stores.

OTHER

With so many changing medications and doses, and other things going on, you've got to keep track. For one thing, it helps when doctors and nurses are firing questions at you. I made our own charts but didn't know that we could have got something similar from the home care nurses.

Compression socks

Not only do these help reduce swelling, but we were told that they also help with circulation. The 'easy slide' sleeve and the super-grip glove help immensely in getting them on. Thankfully Veterans Affairs paid for all of this because I think they're not cheap.

A doctor is supposed to decide on the compression level needed.

HEARING

Bluetooth device for hearing aid

Here is an amazing thing. Well, I don't really understand what Bluetooth is, but the Phonak iCom is described as 'a bridge between the hearing instrument and audio devices'. It connects a hearing aid to a TV, MP3 player, telephone, computer, etc. So, a person can put that device with the cord around their neck, sit in their chair and get the television sound right into their hearing aid! It comes with a remote control.