Since I last added to this blog, there have been a number of instances when assistance was needed but I was unavailable. The latest incidence was last week when I had surgery. Because I knew that I would be unable to help for about a week, I made sure that all of the medications were in the pill boxes, refills were ordered and everything was lined up with the aide.
Best laid plans always go astray and the day after my surgery, my father called not feeling well. His allergies were acting up and he needed to go to the doctor. The aide, God bless her, offered to make an appointment at the doctor's for him and arranged transportation. After thanking her profusely, I explained to her that I would be unable to come to see them for about a week and that I didn't want them to know that I had had surgery. She understood.
After my father's doctor's appointment, a new prescription had to be dispensed, which the aide can't do. I contacted the nurse in the Wellness Center where they live and made arrangements for her to put the new prescription in my father's pill box. One thing that I've learned is that it is necessary to have a really good working relationship with the health care providers and any additional people who come in contact with my parents. If we had not been in constant contact over the past year, these kinds of incidents could have been much more difficult to handle long-distance.
Some things that I've learned:
1. always keep my cellphone fully charged for times when I'm not at home,
2. have the aide's phone number as well as important numbers from the residence, transportation and health service on my cell phone so that I can quickly reach them,
3. keep my binder of medical information on my parents updated as well as the notes I made during doctor's visits
In addition, since I'm learning more about their history as we go along, I keep a running updated medical history for myself so that I have access to it for emergency situations.
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