Let the Adventure Begin!

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DRT  EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IF VENTILATOR STOPS WORKING and the vent alarm won't quit:  ·       Look at the vent alarm. Read it to Don.  ·       If the alarm is this:  ·       Try to fix the vent - start looking at my trach and continue down the tubes searching.  It might be the blue tube popped off. ·       Look at the yellow tube up by my trach for moisture. If you see it unscrew the yellow tube at the vent. Blow hard to clear the moisture. Keep blowing quick bursts until clear.  ·       If vent still not working, get Don on 2 nd vent. ·       If  2 nd  vent not an option due to time it takes to get vent from living room, grab Ambu bag and help him breathe. o     Take off the trach below the accordion and attach the Ambu bag as shown below:...

Pending  Procedure for driving the van Before driving me anywhere, make sure that my head band is snug and centered . Even when the headband is on- Always hold my head when going through doorways or bumps when not in the van.  If the sun is bright, I would like to wear my sun glasses before going outside into the brightness.  New or Old Railroad tracks: Slow down to a reasonable speed where you won’t rattle my teeth out of my head. Use flashers when necessary. The flashers don’t operate in the rear when you brake, so make sure that you turn them on early. Adjust speed as necessary on the older tracks. Some of the new tracks are worse than the older tracks Emergency Procedures You are required to carry your cell phone with you whenever you take me out.  If you hear the vent alarm go off, stop driving, put on the flashers, come to see what is causing the Low Pressure Alarm. Check the trach first and then follow the circuit the way it hooks to the vent. If I s...

Pending  You MUST have your cell phone whenever you take Don out! Back Pack- Extra Water Bottle 2-3 Food tubes- one for burping Clips and wash cloth for burping Food/snack and meds for time away Front pocket- Wallet Glasses/Sunglasses Spell Board Suction Machine in carrying bag- Water in bottle Empty bottle 4 Red Catheters Baggies of at least 4 Gloves Sunglasses ? Hat? Arm Warmers? Jacket? Blanket? Is ERICA needed? In Van Emergency clothing Extra feeding tube, aspirin, etc. Ambu Bag Extra White Circuit ERICA L brace to mount on the wheelchair  LOADING IN VAN- Turn on AC in summer and heat (only after warm up) in winter. Open ramp without “kneeling” onto curb. Open ramp with “kneeling” onto flat. Remove head band- set tilt to 6, feet to 80 to enter Van. Tuck in left hand and elbow; don’t want to loose any fingers or skin.  Gently push shoulder so head doesn’t hit top of door while going through door.  Once inside raise head...

DRT  When I spell AC  or look at the AC machine in the living-room -  ask me if I am hot or cold.  Important – if AC is on during dinner,  open my bedroom door and make sure the window fan is on exhaust to pull cool air in my room. How to turn off my bedroom window fan easy - just hold the mode button until it stops!  My bedroom ceiling fan has 3 speeds. One pull of the black bear (never the birds nest hanging from the bear) is high. Two pulls – medium. Three is low. All above applies when it is totally off When we go out and the AC isn’t on turn it on  if the afternoon temperature is expected to be hot.   This applies to Doctor Billica days too.  The only dial you should touch is the bottom dial:   AC  on  instructions: I will tell you when to turn it on, usually in the late morning or afternoon.  Never turn AC on above the 75 degrees mark.  Af ter you turn on close all...

Overnight Study Guide ·         CNA shift starts at 8 or 8:30 pm ·         When CNA is ready for transfer: o        Unplug Big Bertha (always hit the vent reset button twice) o        Assist with the nighttime transfer and follow into bedroom and plug the power cord in the power strip at the head of the bed ·         Once Don is in his room, turn off fan and main overhead light in living room o        Turn on light by the front door or desk to save electricity o        Turn off fish tank light ·         Assist with bed transfer: o        Pull up diaper until snug o        Make sure to pull down left side of diaper extra far at night during transfer ...

DRT  Water Management In Bed:   Get the blue wash cloth. Fold it to quarters.  Do the white tube first by pulling it apart at the peep valve. Be careful not to twist the peep value, it will change my peep!  Grab the tube close to my belly and with the other end point it down off the bed with all your might while keeping your eye on my trach so you don’t move it.  Hold the blue wash cloth against the open end of the tube to catch the water. Pull hard twice.  Attach the peep valve quickly because I can’t breathe without the peep valve attached.  Next is the blue tube. Tap the water down.   Continue to shake all the way to the humidity bowl.  The goal is to empty the water into the bowl.  If you took the vent cardboard off, attach the cardboard again and it has an UP ARROW written on it.  After water management: Put your hand between the tubes and my belly to see if the tubes are touching my hands or bell...

DRT  How to put the vest on in the morning:  I prefer that you don't lower the vent arm.  Put my feet on the box.  Pull the vest machine out of the closet.  Take the finger foam and vest out. Don't put them on yet.  Take off my peg tube, metal clip and rice pad.   Important , put the paper towel on my right shoulder on the roll pillow so it doesn't get lost behind my back.  Put my feet on box because when you pull vest down, I always shimmy down.  Important, the next few steps can be done on either side of the bed depending on how strong your upper arms - if you can pull down the vest.  Put the vest behind my neck. Do not lift my head!  Pickup my right hand first to put white tubes under my arm pit. Do the same with my left hand from the window side of bed (if you choose to do all from that side of the bed).   Grab the bottom of both sides of the vest. Not the top for a better grip!  Shimmy both sides do...

DRT  I recommend that you not use gloves during this procedure. The sticky glue gets stuck to the gloves making it impossible to roll condom on.  Get a baby wipe from bathroom. Get a tissue.  Wipe my shaft by pulling up my head of penis.  Dry shaft with tissue.  Open the condom package by the middle down the perforation line not at the top.  Check the condom to make sure it is rolled properly.  Here's a picture:  Bend my left knee into the butterfly position.  Get a (Allkare) sticky wipe and apply it to me while pulling up, but only to the shaft.  Wipe your fingers to get rid of sticky stuff.  Pull penis and wave with hand on the glue for a few seconds to dry.   Take the condom out and start rolling it down on me.  And stop when you get past the head.  The next step is critical if you get it wrong, my condom will definitely come off. If you didn't follow the next step, my condom will...

DRT  A Must Read For New People  Very important, when I ring the bell immediately stop what you are doing and get the spell board because you could be hurting me or you are doing something wrong. Also you only get 3 chances guessing what I want after that get the spell board. It's easier than guessing all night. Lastly if you come in my room and I am coughing immediately clamp my burp tube! FEEDING- Always put a towel on my chest before feeding me. Hold both the feeding tube and the peg tube otherwise the feeding tube could pop off and make a mess.  Before taking off burp tube clamp it first and then turn dirty burp tube up side down before taking it completely off. That way the paper towel cork can catch any liquids.  Never put breakfast in the refrigerator after feeding me. Always use a clean tube in the morning before breakfast  Don’t forget my drop of hydroxo 12 before medicine in the morning. Don't clamp burp after you give me only medicine. Alw...

PA Shower Training Duties: Before CNA turns on the shower – remind CNA to take shower chair bucket out!  1) Wash Don’s Hair             - Put the washcloth over his eyes, (hold at the brow line)             - After CNA gets hair wet, put shampoo all over head      Wash hair with VIGOR!             - Continue washing until time to rinse             - Help CNA get soap out of hair              - Rinse washcloth after Don’s hair is rinsed 2) Wash Don’s eyes 3) Wash Don’s face             - Get washcloth wet             - Grab the blob of soap on one side of washcloth             - Wash Don’s face with soap,  if you get a lot of soap and then   dab the soap around his face before you start washing...