Sunday, July 17, 2011

Making a list and checking it twice

 The great floor adventure 2011 looms ever closer. I have been cleaning out shelves and closets preparing to move everything upstairs to the bedrooms or downstairs to the basement while we get the floors sanded and refinished in the living room, dining room, hallway, stairs and upstairs hall. (The bedrooms will have to be done another time.)

This is something we should have done at least 5 years ago, probably more like 10. I believe it's been 20 years since we did it and the floors are in terrible shape. This picture gives a good illustration. I pulled the rug back to show the amount of wear on the floors. Even under the rug the floors are dull but not worn out. When we return they will be gleaming

It's not the expense that made us put this off, it's the hassle.  When we did this 20 years ago we had too little boys. Maggie wasn't even born. We packed a bag and stayed at my parents house while the work was done. Now, we have Maggie and grandma's house is out because of the number of steps she has. I cannot carry Maggie up the stairs and would be completely unable to get her wheelchair in and out. We are going to stay in a friend's house across the Bay. There are three or four steps into the house, but then it's all one level.

We are lucky to get this offer. It's a fully furnished house, but no one is living there, so we won't be imposing on their lives.

And believe me we would be an imposition on the most generous family. These days it's not as simple as "packing a bag". We have to bring all Maggie's supplies. In addition to cleaning things out I have been gathering supplies we will need for our four days out of the house.  The more things I put in, the more I think of.

Finally I decided it was safer to make a list which I've pasted in below. The ones with x's are already in the box, so I have dozens of things to add, but I can't do most until the last minute. Note this list does not include clothes for Maggie (there is one word that says "clothes") and does not include anything at all for Steve and I.

Can you imagine seeing house guest pull up and start unloading all this stuff to stay in your house?
I think I would pull the curtains shut and bolt the door and hide. I kind of want to anyway.

Time to repeat my mantra - it will all be worth it.
_______________________________________________________________________________

Equipment
Wheelchair
Tray
Dynavox and charger
pole

Feeding 1.5 cases Vivonex, feeding tubes and syringes

 Meds
pulmicort
 Albuterol
atravent, twice a day,
 pulmizyme – in fridge
tobi – in fridge
flonase
 prevacid
detrol
 80mg aspirin
calcium carbonate
Phospha Neutra
Claritin
trinessa 
 zinc oxide
nystatin
triamcinolone
 elidel
saline bullets  XXXX

Machines
SAT monitor (plus sensor)
Compressor (plus tubing)
Nebulizer (plus tubing and nebs)
Suction machines (plus canisters, tubes, little suckers, and catheters)  
Feeding pump – don’t bring feed manually
Vest machine – don’t bring – do manual chest pt

Oxygen – order concentrator from CHME

Supplies
Diapers (3 packs)
Chucks (3 packs)
Catheters (I box)  XXXX
Gloves (I box)   XXX
Wipes    XXXXXX
Qtips
Trach masks
Trach sponges  XXXX
Extra trach XXXX
Extra g-tube XXXX
Big bottle of soap
sanitizer
Vinegar
Masks (for tobi)
Roll of garbage bags
Skin creams
10cc syringes
Power strip
10-12 scarves XXXX

Music – IPOD and Player
Clothes
books.

2 comments:

  1. Good Lord. It WILL all be worth it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. OMG now THAT is a list! I did my list this weekend for our 3 week vaca in Tahoe with 3 little girls and I guess I am not bringing too much...lol! I hope you have a nice time away for a few days:)

    ReplyDelete

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