Tip #358 Creature Comforts & Weighted Wonders; Feeling Sheepish?

     Have you ever seen or touched a sheep? Or should I say have ewe ever seen or touched a sheep? Yep, I do know how cheesy that sounds, but I can't help myself sometimes:) Back to the point, have you felt their furry hides? Their coat seems course and curly and smelly, but they are still cute in spite of that. I've loved their contribution to the keep-you-warm scene for quite some time now. And, I'm now quite fond of sheep for another reason; they can provide assistance in the midst of recovery. How? They help with a) bed sores and b) comfort. Lets look at bed sores first. Good golly that sounds fun doesn't it? Anyways…
      Skin breakdown is very common in the recovery process. It's risk factors include (but are not limited to) incontinence, being bedridden or confined to a wheelchair, being malnourished, and having radiation therapy. Note that just because you have one or more of the factors just listed, it does not automatically mean that you currently have - or will ever have - bed sores. Having said that, it's always prudent to check for bed sores (aka pressure sores), and to consult your nurse or physician regarding treatment should you notice changes in the health of your skin. Click here to go to MedlinePlus for a more detailed description of the risk factors mentioned above, as well as things you can do to prevent and/or manage bed sores. It's part of the US Natuional Library of Medicine which is a source I like for getting medical info.
     So how can a sheepskin make any of the above better? Well, bed sores (and bacteria in general) LOVE warm dark spaces without a lot of circulation. If you are bedridden or in a wheelchair, then chances are you are providing that perfect environment a good chunk of the time (fun,fun,fun!). But have no fear, Captain sheepskin is here, and all will be well soon. Why? The sheepskin wicks moisture away from you, which knocks down one of the biggest ingredients in the bacteria recipe. And guess what? Bedsores are also elated to have their chance to bare their angry red faces in the presence of friction (ie rubbing the back of your ankle along the bed every time you move). Sheepskin helps with that too. I could go on for a while about it's many benefits in this vein of discussion, but I think you get the point, and I don't want to drive you crazy with my long-windedness!
     As for the comfort component - I don't know how to describe just how amazing it is to have a sheepskin. They are SO helpful with respect to comfort. Obviously, their contribution to preventing bedsores is a big addition to being comfortable, but there are other factors too - like staying warm, or cold. If you are sleeping on an airbed for example, the air in the airbed is awfully cold in the winter. Once you get that sheepskin on the air bed, the world feels like a much lovelier place! So so much better! And in the hot summer, it's great at wicking away that moisture. I don't know how it works at both ends of the temperature scale, but it does.
     On another comfort note, sheepskins are soft, cozy, and a great cushion for your whole body - but even nicer for all of those sore contact parts (like a tailbone or elbows for example). So if you require transport via stretcher to medical appointments, or anticipate being on a gurney or in a wheelchair for a good chunk of time for any reason, consider bringing it with you. You can and ask an attendant or caregiver to slip it on the gurney under the sheets, or the parts of the wheelchair at your back and under your bum respectively. It can seem cumbersome, but I personally think it is worth it - not in all circumstances of course, but most.
     Okay, so if you are considering buying a sheepskin, know that there are 2 types: synthetic and the real deal. Pros and cons? The real follows the contour of the sheep - see pic below. So it, fits gurney's well, but doesn't cover much of a normal bed. I think it's much, much cozier than the synthetic. But, the synthetic sheepskin comes in multiple sizes. One size is large enough to cover at least a whole twin bed, so there is less squirming and shifting in bed trying to get the sheepskin in the right place. While searching for pictures I saw a lot of smaller inexpensively priced sheepskin "pads" (even one made for your bunny - crazy), that can more easily fit a wheelchair seat, or provide some pressure/friction relief for those elbows, tailbone, or heels. In terms of absorption, they are both great, and both are reportedly hypoallergenic. They can be expensive, which is why this post is not only creature comforts, but labelled as weighted wonders too. I got my synthetic sheepskin as a gift from my hubbies parents (thanks!), and they purchased it at a bedding store. My real deal small one is from a medical supply store (in Ontario Shoppers Home Health stores usually have them).
     Well, there you have it. Sheepskins are no longer just used for diplomas and official papers anymore. The other thing i thought was surprising is that the product is not at all rough and course feeling as it is when still on the actual sheep. Although even spun wool can feel scratchy in life, the sheepskin (real) is luxurious and the other (synthetic) is very soft. Who knew? Here's a pic of the real thing (first) and the synthetic (small) pad kind (which sometimes are available at Amazon.com).

Happy Un-sheepishly Sheep-skinning!

Tip #129 Weighted Wonders; Technology vortex

Warning: this is a very long post, but I got so good at ranting about the technological roller coaster I couldn't help myself! 


vor·tex (vôrtks)

n. pl. vor·tex·es or vor·ti·ces (-t-sz)

1. A spiral motion of fluid within a limited area, especially a whirling mass of water or air that sucks everything near it toward its center.

2. A place or situation regarded as drawing into its center all that surrounds it: "As happened with so many theater actors, he was swept up in the vortex of Hollywood"(New York Times).

     I think my house is a vortex for technology - the vortex in definition 2 above could have it's example read this way "As happened with so many of the efficient and effective technological devices, they were swept up in the vortex of her living room." Don't get me wrong, I can't say enough good things about technology - truly. It has changed the face of recovery in ways previously unthinkable - unimaginable really. But it also has the ability to drive one crazy. By "one," I really mean me. You too? Lets see if you can relate.
     Now, I know it sounds overly dramatic, but I am (mostly) not kidding about living in some sort of technical vortex! The proof? Let's talk about internet: I live on a farm, yes, but I don't live in the 1800's and I am not so far out of town as to be considered off-the-beaten-path. Why is that relevant? Cause I'm too far out for cable, and bell says that I am 0.2 km (218 yards for our southern friends) too far from their magic boundary line, so no high speed internet from them either! Note too, that for one of those two companies, when we called about seeing if we could get internet where we live - you might want to sit down to hear this - the company could not check to see if they could provide us with internet because their internet was down! No, really not kidding about that! How's that for convincing you to use their services? But I digress.... So, until recently, I had satellite internet - very expensive, very slow, and very unreliable; at least that was my experience. Then again, only one company was accessible out where I live (which really is only 20 minutes away from the University of Waterloo - certainly not in the boonies!).
     Hallelujah. What? Yep, hallelujah, Bell came out with a turbo hub and I can get internet out here (high speed) via Bell. Yay! no more slow satellite, and cheaper too. Nope, not cheaper after all, but faster, well that's great! Get it set up, and imagine this - it's not working. Get someone to drive back to town, and switch the new one out for a newer one. Hmmm, this one is working, but not very well. Had to go through 3 units before one worked well here. Got a TV to use as a monitor so I could actually see what I am writing/reading when I am using the internet (vision affected by meds). This took 2 installations to work, and now - the remote doesn't work with it! And, the HDMI cable that attaches the computer to the TV so I can use the TV as the monitor - was on back order. The store told me I didn't need one, then I found out we did, then it was on back order, and then finally it was there. Just then, the external hard drive started giving me grief.... Oh, and when the installers were here for the TV, they kept saying that the satellite (TV also satellite since no cable here) was not registering in most of the living room. No signal. So, the receiver can only go in one spot, and heaven forbid if it is moved a bit when someone dusts... And that's just the tip of the iceberg. There's more!
     You can talk on the cell phone in the living room if you use one carrier, but only in the study if you use another, and out on the porch for one other yet. The pharmacist nearby wanted to give me some info from her mobile device (which had a specific pharmacist-program re drug interactions), but she has to stand outside of the building to do it, and therefore could not do it while on the phone with me. My iPhone works anywhere in the house (I love my iPhone). But, others come with other devices and other carriers, and they have a host of issues... With one carrier they can only make their devices work if they are on the front porch, but not in the driveway...
    And the easier types of technology? Like, say, an all-in-one printer/fax/copier/scanner/frying pan. Okay, not a frying pan, but it does seem to do just about everything. What a wonderful device! So, we order a new all-in-one printer so that I can get wireless printing on the go (when typing from bed, not overly handy to have to have the printer beside you). We also have to fax daily, so nice to have one device, not a device for each thing we do (i.e. had to haul out the fax machine to send a fax, put it away and put the printer back to print, put it away and use the scanner..... Since I am the only technological person (and when I say I am the only technological person, I am sort of comparing my self to a m'aitre d who is asked to be the chef) in the house, it is a tricky thing to fix. Not only do I not have tons of understanding of the tech stuff, I can't actually stand at the printer to see it's buttons or messages/lights flashing, so I continually have to ask someone to go to the printer and tell me what they see. Kinda funny actually.
     Where were we? Oh ya, so we decided to buy a wireless all-in-one. We got it, and it is only web based, not wireless (who knew there was a difference? Not me!). Nearly swear at it trying to get it to work. Exchange it for another one... yep, wireless, but not good at being controlled by conflicting operating systems (mac (me) vs. PC (hubby). So, hubby prints wirelessly, and it works. I try on my mac, it doesn't work. Get it all set and reinstalled for me, and then won't work wirelessly for hubby. Decide that a new one is worth the hassle, since the hassle is less than the hassle we are already experiencing. Order a new one, send the other back. New one is accidentally the wrong one (close to right model, but off by one number). Send it back, and get the "right" new one. Ah, lovely lovely device. Perfect. Easy. Low maintenance. But lately, when you photocopy anything with our wonderful (and it really is wonderful) all-in-one printer, there is a thick black line all the way down the paper. If you scan or print, the line is not there, If you photocopy or fax, the line is there. Doesn't make sense, and the tech people we called think we're crazy. We are, but that has nothing to do with the printer. Oh wait - maybe it does - it's the technology that's driving us mad!
     Although I have been like most Joe's on the technical highway - proficient enough to do what I need to, and smart enough to ask for help when necessary - I still could not imagine the recovery process without this device, or most of the others. Whoa, what? Did I really just say that? Yes. The running joke around here is that our house really is a technological vortex. It is a powerful drug in the world of technology; it sucks devices in, and messes with their heads, and then they mess with mine. That's never good! Ug. But you know what? I have learned one very important thing despite/in spite of/ because of the vortex issues: It's worth it. Really really worth it. Why? For example, these are just a few things we do using the internet, the all-in-one (copier/fax/printer etc), and the computer that make our lives infinitely easier (in no particular order)...

• This blog. It helps me stay sane, makes me feel productive
• The internet re entertainment, and as a window into the world outside
• The internet re information/journals/medical stuff (note, only use trusted sites - more on that in another post)
• Faxing the pharmacy and medical supply company. Ordering is now easy as pie each week and much less time consuming too (and fewer errors)
• Faxing the doctor. When we have questions or updates between appointments nothing is lost in translation by trying to explain things to whoever answers the phone there... And he can fax back when he has a moment, not when I am calling... etc.

     Again, that's a VERY small list of what we use all the tech stuff for. And until we got things working so efficiently, things were chaotic here, which is not very conducive to recovering. Not at all. Nope. Nada. Nowadays, so much here works like a well oiled machine that it cuts down on time, stress, energy spent, mistakes (errors on our end and on that of others we deal with too, as the proof is in the pudding, er, or, I mean writing), and so much more!
     And, I do have to say this too - I know not everyone agrees, but I say that if you are considering purchasing devices for use in recovering from traumatic illness and/or injury, buy an apple if at all possible. I know I have written about the iPhone and the iPad a few times, and that they are handy for recovery in a plethora of ways. However, there is one "hidden" amazing perk too: Apple Care Plan.  
     The Apple Care plan is easy to ignore, just like most don't want to pay for the "extra warranty" option when buying large ticket items like dishwashers. BUT, if you do buy this option, you have access to apple every minute of every day for a few years. And, unlike most companies I have dealt with, their knowledge, service, and response time (immediate, no waiting) is outstanding. I call them regularly, and they teach me how to do all sorts of things. No, it's not just outstanding service, it's mind-blowing outstanding service. This is really really great when you want to save your energy for recovering, not for figuring out how to do something that isn't working the way you want it to. Okay, my aside is over.
     Boy am I long-winded! Okay, almost done... I'd like to leave you with a quote I heard on Criminal Minds, one of my favourite shows: "I urge you not to abandon reason." Well, I must confess that the technological vortex sometimes makes me want to abandon all reason. But, since the technology itself makes recovering more "survivable" on so many levels, well,  I think I'm actually able to hold on to the small amount of reason I still possess during the recovery process because of technology. How ironic is that? So, when you are weighing which (if any) technological wonders you are ready or able to use, maybe pause and ask yourself this: are the glitches are worth it?  I say yes. Most days:) But that's just me. Until next time....

Happy abandoning un-abandoning reason and technology!

Tip #377 Weighted Wonders; How Do You Like Them Apples?

     You'll have to forgive me - I know that the "How do you like them apples" phrase is a phrase people use in order to gloat. Sorry. I also know that gloating isn't at all becoming, and I'm not exactly trying to gloat - but I am so happy about something I am ready to burst! What's going on? Well, the irony here is that I really am talking about apples - not the edible kind though, but the Macintosh Apple kind. With an enormous and crazy amount of generousity, my father and mother bough me an Ipad this week. Yep, the Apple Ipad 2. My farmer hubby woke up the other day and laughed because I was hugging it in my sleep. Unfortunately, I am not kidding about the hugging it part  - I don't remember doing it, but I actually was using it before going to sleep... I really am an apple geek! Who can blame me though?
     Well, if all of you PC people will forgive me for loving apple, I'd love to share with you some of the functions and applications that it has that I think will be of extra help in the recovery process, be you the one who is ill or a caregiver. My Disclaimer? Please know that I do not work for Apple, or any other computer place/empire/company for that matter. And, while I am focusing on the iPad, a lot of devices will do some similar things. I just don't know which devices do exactly what, since I am an apple addict. I must admit that I have learned via discussion with friends and family that if you know a function exists  (i.e. on the iPad, iPhone, computer. etc.), then you can at least look for said item on yours (i.e smart phone, blackberry, PC computer...). It might not be as good, but still helpful. Then again, I guess it could be that some of the non-apple devices and computers have functions better than the iPad/iPhone, etc... though you'd be pressed to convince me of it, and especially to admit it!
     So why is the iPad so incredible in my opinion? Well, several things; too many in fact to just write one post about it. I think I will keep coming back to this topic in more posts. If you don't want to wait that long you could take a peek at one of my very first posts where I discuss the  benefits of the iPhone since a lot of the functions and capabilities of the iPhone carry over to the iPad. However the iPad is even better than iPhone in my opinion! Much better and many more functions in fact! So, whether you are mac happy like me, or interested or using any other device, here is a brief sample of the kinds of things that the iPad has, and other devices could have (though again, I don't know other brands of devices much anymore). This will be a tiny brief synopsis, but watch for other posts within the weighted wonders (weighted because of the cost) category.
     I'm going to limit myself to two of the great things about the iPad to consider when recovering/caregiving since I've nearly written a tome already! Here goes:

• First, the iPad Apps. I read an article last week that said the iPad has approximately 60 000 apps, compared to the 3 000 Apps by the competitors. That's 20 times the amount of Apps! Why is that significant? Well, for starters there are 75 medical encyclopedia Apps. On average said apps cost between $0.99 and $19.99, and there is a very wide range of them. Among the medical encyclopedias you will find at least one of each of these:

• Anatomy encyclopedia
• General medical encyclopedia
• Paediatric encyclopedia
• Cancer encyclopedia
• Blood encyclopedia
• First aid encyclopedia
• Natural medicine encyclopedia
• And, a whole host of other Apps too, including many alarm apps you can customize to help you remember to take your meds, or to have that medical appointment, to read to you, to type for you when you read, and many many many more!

• Second, it's size it's fantastic. It's big and small all at the same time. Call me crazy, but it's nice to be able to see whatever you need to see, when you need to see it, and lightweight enough to have it wherever you need to put it to use it.
• The screen is big, and it's clear. If it's large screen is not big enough for you, text and pictures are easily enlarged at the snap of a finger (or with a move of two fingers exactly the opposite of a snap to be more accurate!). Your vision may be affected by medication, the condition itself, and/or is just normally not that wonderful and the condition isn't all that helpful on top of it. 
• The device itself is little and lightweight. If you want to put it up to your nose to read something, you can. If you want to use it while sick in bed, it's easy to do so. And, it's little enough to adjust just so you can get comfy and use it all at the same time.

     Okay, that's all for now. If you're not all that technical, don't discount a using a device like the iPad, or a smart phone.Technology can be intimidating at first, but if you are stuck at home because of illness or caregiving for a loved one who is ill then it can open a whole new world to you and/or your loved ones. It's practical, exciting, adventurous, and most of all liberating, and helpful for promoting independence. I hope you'll consider it. You never know, maybe you'll be saying how much you like them apples too...

Happy considering!

Tip #101 Journal Jotting; Recording Like a Rockstar?

     Have you ever wanted to be a rock star? Ever sung into a hairbrush or donned a faux-hawk and leather jacket to play some air guitar? I guess in this day and age it's more appropriate to ask if you've ever dreamed of being a rock star after you play guitar hero or Wii Rockband?! Well, if you have ever considered being a rock star, you are not alone. And if you haven't - well, why not?
     Okay, well, maybe the following suggestion won't get you any closer to being a rock star than you already are, but you never know... it might come in handy someday:)  What am I talking about? I'm talking about a digital voice recorder. And, while at some point you could use it to record your rock star moments, there is a great alternative during the recovery process. Consider...
  
Caregivers

• Are you caring for an individual who doesn't want you to be in the same room with them and their physicians or other medical team members? 
• Are you unable to accompany your loved one to an important medical appointment because of work or other commitments?
• Do you find it difficult to remember all that was said by the Doctor about your loved one - especially if the info had technical information you are not familiar with?
• Do you find that no matter what you do, you cannot seem to be with your loved one at the same time they physician comes while your loved one is in hospital (as you don't usually have any idea when the physicians will come, or how many of them will come throughout the course of the day)? 

     If you say yes to any of these questions, then perhaps you and your loved one should consider using a digital recorder. In case of the first question above, your loved one may consent to record the appointment simply for their own peace of mind, and not consent to letting you hear the conversation, and it's important to respect that. Still, the recording can be helpful even if they are not prepared to share the information with you - as they can play it back to themselves, and get any important information they may have missed (appointments can be overwhelming), and/or to choose the information they would like to share with you, without leaving you extremely confused (well, in some cases less confused!) :)!


Those of you recovering

• Do you ever leave a medical appointment feeling unsure of what just happened because a huge amount of information was shared with you in a very short period of time?
• Do you ever feel overwhelmed after a medical appointment because the information was devastating, and after hearing a word like "Cancer" (or any other scary words) you weren't able to focus on what was being said to you?
• Do you find it difficult to pay attention to what is being said while writing the info down at the same time?
• Do you find it frustrating to answer questions posed by your loved ones and/or caregivers about what happened during a medical appointment?
• Do you think you would find it easier to say a few words into a small recorder than to write memos and such down (phone messages, items for the grocery list, a reminder of something you need to do....)?

     If you said yes to any of the above questions then again, I suggest you consider using a digital voice recorder. If it gives you peace of mind, then why not do it? Well, one reason is the cost. I get that. If you have a cell phone/smart phone, or some other device that allows you to record everything you need to -then great. The voice recording function exists on some phones - but the length of the recording might not be all you need - perhaps consider checking your manual. If you would like to buy one, I went to "ehow" and it had this link on how to find the right recorder. You can often find them at Staples or other such office supplies stores for anywhere between $50 and $300 dollars. No longer are voice recorders big, cumbersome objects requiring cassette tapes and such. No, now they are digital, sleek, and very easy to use. Kinda' cool really...


****Please note:
Re Vulnerability  
I debated about whether or not to include this, but I think I will, though in brief. Do you ever feel more vulnerable because of your current situation? You can be in a more vulnerable spot, but you can also feel more vulnerable because of the trauma that has happened, or the difference you are currently experiencing in terms of physical strength. Either way, if you are feeling vulnerable would it make you feel less vulnerable to know that your conversations with specific people in your care are being recorded? If so, then it may be an especially good suggestion to record these appointments.
     But, there might be even better suggestions yet - like seeking professional help (social worker, police, etc.), and/or seeking care from an alternate individual. Whatever the decision, may I suggest that from here-on-in you make sure that you are never, ever alone with that individual. I am not a social worker, nor am I a criminalist, so I cannot advise you on how to proceed except to say that I think finding someone qualified who can advise you how to proceed is a great idea.
Re Permissions
Please make sure that you ask the people you are recording (medical member and your loved one/caregiver) permission to make the recording! If you are afraid you won't have the opportunity to ask  the medical professional, or your loved one is not able to communicate that to the professional (or is nervous about doing so, or worried about offending their practitioner), you could have a short note accompanying the recorder that briefly (very briefly) specifies why you would like the recording. 
  
     Wow. Who knew there could be so much to say about digital voice recorders? Since many of the reasons for having such a device are to relieve (or at least minimize) stressors like a lack of information, misinformation, miscommunication, and general confusion, I think it is worth considering, if it is something you can afford. Well, for that matter, anything that can lessen stressors during the recovery process is worth considering as far as I'm concerned - as long as it does not require loads of energy to implement. And who knows? Maybe this will mean that you will have enough pep in your step to start practicing for that new career as a rock star!!! No?

Happy rockin' out!!

Tip #15 Weighted Wonders; IKEA is good for the soul?

     Yep, I said it and I meant it... IKEA is good for the soul - or at least for peace of mind! I can't tell you how many times I've spoken to people recovering at home and their caregivers who begin to feel like they're going mad because of the chaos around them. I recognize that some people have no problem living in chaos, but for the rest of the world this can be very frustrating. You usually don't incorporate furnishing your living-room with a hospital bed, nor design your floor plan to accommodate large amounts of medical supplies in the main areas. It can especially be emotional and/or frustrating for people because:

• Having the house that way is a constant reminder that you or a loved one are ill.
• Other people expect you (especially if you are a caregiver) to have it all under control because you're at home all day. BUT that doesn't take into account the fatigue and exhaustion from just the stress of being ill (or worrying about a loved one who is ill). Nor does it take into account that you now seem to have a new full time job; you're either focused on caregiving or on getting better, or both.
• Even if you have kind friends and/or multiple caregivers: 

• Most of you won't really want to ask others to do some of the things that you would like done, because you don't want to put them out OR
• Maybe you don't have the luxury of having those people (above) to help out OR
• You can't afford to hire a cleaner in their stead AND,
• No matter who is doing the cleaning, no one is going to do everything the way that you would do it. So, pants shrink, whites turn pink, things are put away where you'd never look to find them, the vacuum cleaner is parked in the middle of the living room and you can't move it out of the way, etc.

Here is the most important thing I can say about all of that; it likely drives you crazy for one reason.

1. It represents the lack of control you have in your life right now. 
2. (I know I said one, but wait for it...)You live in that area all of the time (all day, all night, or both), so the dust on the window is going to drive you crazy because you're looking at it for weeks or months. But, here again I say the number one reason above is applicable; it's really driving you crazy because illness/trauma has made you (understandably) feel that life or things in life are out of control - and that's a really hard thing!

     So, what to do about all of it? 

• This is where the IKEA comes in: if possible, reorganize! Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome (paraphrased here). Things are going to keep getting messier and messier if you don't make a concerted effort to adapt your environment to your new status. This can make a VERY big difference as far as I am concerned! I get that this isn't always possible financially (although there are some smaller plastic units in the pics below that were non-IKEA, $30, and did the job for a long time). And the manpower can be difficult too - since you won't be able to do it yourself. If you can't do this, you may still be able to work on the following items (which I suggest you consider even if you can do the reorganizing!).
• Allow yourself to be unapologetic to others for doing whatever it is you have to do to get well/help a loved one who is ill (which includes carefully choosing where your energy is expended). For instance:
• Foo-ee to those who take issue with your messy house. They're not living your life. You have nothing to be apologetic about
• You don't need to explain your financial status to anyone. Illness and recovery add extra financial strain. That's just the way it is usually.
• If 5 things are driving you crazy, try to do 1, or part of one yourself. Choose carefully (maybe dusting the window might be possible, but don't try to clean the bathtub). Why? This helps you feel like you have a bit more control - you've chosen something. And, while this may mean a bit more pain for example, sometimes that's worth it for quality of life (for which peace of mind is a criteria!).
• Change your expectations. You're not Wonder Woman, Super Man, or any other superhero. You're a human going through a rough time. Don't expect to be able to do all you could before. Have a better quality of life, with the types of expectations you would want to see from others in the same state (after all, we're always harder on ourselves than anyone else). 

     Okay, so back to IKEA. With a hospital bed in the living-room, and a gazillion supplies (medical and office) plus some of the regular living-room things, it was very chaotic in this room. But, with help from IKEA, the room looks more like a living-room and less like a hospital storage room. What a change in the state of mind it is to have made these changes!

BEFORE                                                  AFTER

 Some was dispersed into other places.

BEFORE                                                                               AFTER 

                                                                                                                            

AND the drawers within are even organized too!    
Supplies now look like this....                                         even though delivered like this....                                       

                                                  

HOORAY!!!

     So whether you need to change your expectations (reorganize your mind), change your way of doing things (reorganize processes), or change your storage solutions (reorganize your environment), try it! You don't have anything to lose. Every little piece of mind that you can add to your peace of mind goes a long way towards quality of life, no matter what your medical situation!

Happy reorganizing!

Tip #144 Weighted Wonders: I love... I phone... my iPhone

I did call this category Weighted Wonders for a good reason - and in this case it is the price. iPhone aren't cheap by any means, but I have to say that I would not give up my iPhone for all the tea in China (and I really really do like tea!). Note especially that this decree is coming from a girl who hadn't ever sent or received a text, nor owned a cell phone less than 5 years out of it's prime, nor ever believed that she'd want to have a smart phone, ever. But, I am not only a believer in smart phones, but truly a believer that an iPhone can revolutionize your recovery. Who knew!

Here are a few features (well, a lot really, but only a few features compared to the number of features it has) that I love, and think you might love too! Bare in mind too, that I don't expect anyone to read the whole list, so I've highlighted the point of each section. Have fun!

• It has a stopwatch function for checking my pulse, or timing the rate at which some medications are supposed to be administered
• It has a timer that is easy and reliable to use - and it can have a different ring tone than some of the other alarms on the phone
• It has an address book that I keep all my emergency, medical team, and family numbers in. When you're in bed 24-7 you can't keep getting up to find a number very much or at all. When you are feeling rotten and need to call an emergency number, it's handy to find the number and let the phone dial it for you (or do voice dial). And, when you are packing to go to the hospital, you have only to bring your phone so that you have your books, your addresses, your calendar, you're appointments, your timers etc all in one compact place. Yee haw!
• It has ical, a calendar you can use to set alarms for different days, and different months etc., BUT the reason it stands out so much to me is that you can set it up (easily) to alert you at the time desired time as well as at a desired interval length afterwards -  so, if you're supposed to take a medication and are on the phone when your alarm goes off, it's okay. It will remind you again at a designated second alert time
• It has a calculator that is easy and reliable to use. I use it for calculating my fluid totals for the day, or how many syringes and other supplies I need to order in a 13 day period (for some reason I never managed to memorize my thirteen time tables:) ).
• It's easy to text: I really never believed I would text anyone... but I confess that I love it. When you are feeling miserably tired, you don't feel like calling people, or taking the time to call up email to be able to send a big email. But, a text, well that's easy. No one expects you to send a lot via text, and it is an easy way to confirm shifts for attendant care, or send your hubby a note to say hello, or keep in touch with family members, or for asking someone to pick a little something up for you.... It can be exhausting keeping up with everyone when you're so ill, but this texting makes it so much easier.... And, when I am back in hospital emergency, we can text family to update them without having to leave the unit to use the phone. That's awesome!
• If texting really still isn't your friend, then you can send email via your iPhone. What I especially love is that when I'm on the iPhone I can still see the emails I've already downloaded to my computer and vice versa. It's not on one or the other.
• Audio books are very important to me. I don't sleep much and I don't want to keep my hubby up, so I listen to books at night. I love that there are functions for rewinding by 30 seconds, or manually rewinding to where you want to be, but it also has the ability to speed up or slow down the speed of the speaker.
• I have a free flashlight app that I use on the iPhone, so that I no longer need to turn on the lights at night to get to the bathroom, and I can do injections at night in bed without waking up my husband, or trying to fiddle with lights. That flashlight app is amazing.
• There's an hours tracker app I love that helps track the hours people are here doing attendant care, so I can pay them accordingly
• itunes is easy to use, and I love all the items you can share between the iPhone and the computer so easily. They sync well, and save time, and I can easily listen to whatever I want on it.
• The camera function is amazing! One of my meds affects my eyes, and things are blurry for a while. In a pinch when no one was available to assist, I drew up my meds, took a picture of the syringe, and used the finger pattern for zooming into the picture so that it was nice and big and I could tell exactly how much medication was in that syringe. When purple chunks were coming out of my feeding tube and I didn't know what they were (other than really not good!), I took a picture and gave it to the Doctor. Antibiotics were immediately prescribed.
• The other handy-dandy thing about the video function/camera function is that it is great when my little kidlet friends come over. Sophie is 16 months old, and I use the button that makes the camera look at the person holding the phone rather than what the phone is aimed at. Sophie loves her "moving mirror" and walks all over with it. And, I have to say that easily having the phone there for those reasons gives me an added benefit too - I can look at those photos/videos in the days/weeks/months to come, and it brings me great joy (and it's easy to delete the as many of the dud pictures too, and to sync them with my computer so they're easily available everywhere I am able to be:))
• Of course the clock function is great too. Not all hospital rooms, or recovery rooms at home have a clock that is easy to see, or that is lit to see in the dark. 
• The ability to set different sounds for different alarms is very useful. I know by the sound if it is time to take a medication, or a reminder that the physiotherapist will be here in a few minutes (and I don't have to stop what I am doing to look).
• You can watch TV shows and/or movies on it too. Though, they're pretty little.
• I can't wait to try this function: the Face-time function. I can't travel. I live in a hospital bed in my living room. And, not everyone can travel to me either. So, having the ability to do face time (i.e. skype kind of talking where you are seeing the person you are speaking with and vice versa). 
• Living in the country as I do, we have had a hard time getting reliable Internet usage. When the Internet is not working, I still have the Internet via the iPhone because it uses a different kind of signal - it accesses the cell towers or something like that (I don't pretend to be a technical ninja), and presto, I have Internet whenever I need it! 
• And, when you are on the Internet, it is really really easy to see where you are because a) you can enlarge the page you're on simply by spreading two fingers apart. Viewing is also made easier everywhere else because a magnifying glass will appear as you need it.
• The weather function it comes with is handy. There is a simple app (that was on the iPhone when I got it I believe) that tells me what it is actually like outside in my own small community. 
• The Notes function is awesome too. When you need to write something down, but don't feel so good and don't want to/can't get up, it's great to use the notes function. Jot down what you need, and make as many notes as you want.
• The voice memo function is amazing too. If you have trouble typing, or are in a hurry, use your voice memo function, and tell the phone what it is you want to remember. For that matter, there is also a google app that works with it, where you can tell the phone what it is that you want to search and it does it for you.
• The settings are great too. You can make the screen less or more bright (I make it darker at night so it doesn't light up the room and wake up my hubby, but it is also handy if you have troubles looking at bright things. You can also change the background pictures to get a good contrast (I find it easier to see the icons when the background is a deep blue), and more...

I think it would be easy for me to go on and on and on about the wonders of the iPhone. It has changed so much for me. It has revolutionized my recovery in so many ways, but the 3 most important ways are:

1. It's helped me get more consistent in timing of foods and medications (meds). Bodies like that in recovery (and otherwise too I think!). And as i am more consistent I have more energy. 
2. Medications are on time, the things that were unsafe to forget in a day, are now never forgotten because alarms prompt us to remember specific items (e.g. we kept forgetting to unclamp one of my IV meds. this is bad, cause it means you don't get the meds at all until you remember to unclamp it. That can get dangerous). Now, we set one alarm and ask it to be repeated on a daily basis, and it then automatically prompts me each day to take that clamp off. It's great.
3. I'm communicating more (and more efficiently) with loved ones, professionals, and myself even (with all the notes I leave to myself) and made me feel more connected to the outside world as a result.

So, there you have it. Other "smart phones" may be very valuable, but I would never trade in my iPhone (and no, they are not paying me to say so). It's easy to use, and easy to use, and I use it every day. Price: I pay about $60 per month (expensive I know), but it is worth it to me. At the end of the 3 year contract I will own it. You can buy it outright for up to $700 or so I've seen (or an older version for less)...

It truly is a decision that needs to be carefully considered because of it's price, but to me it is a weighted wonder!

Happy recovery!