1 a.m.--Reposition Jophie/Change diaper and bed pad and/or sheets that are usually wet/Give Carafate/Sterlize water/Add Immunity booster to his water infusion/Begin water infusion which takes 2 hours/Set Timer to alarm every 20 minutes/Albuterol Breathing Treatment

3 a.m.--Prepare Novasource Pulmonary for tube feeding/Crush Medications=Klonopin/Tegretol/Cortef/Bendaryl/Zofran/Mix crushed meds with sterile water and leave to soak/Repostion Jophie/Change diaper and bed pad and/or sheets that are usually wet/Give meds via Mic-key and begin Tube feeding/Set Timer to alarm every 20 minutes to give slow bolus till all feeding is done which takes around 3 hours

6 a.m.--Tube feeding is finished/Reposition Jophie/Change diaper and bed pad and/or sheets that are usually wet/Aluterol Breathing Treatment/Flovent/Begin water infusion which takes 2 hours/Set Timer to alarm every 20 minutes

7 a.m.--Carafate

7 a.m. to 9 a.m./Try to catch a few Zzzzzs!

9 a.m.--Nurse arrives/Prepare Novasource Pulmonary for tube feeding/Crush Medications=Klonopin/Tegretol/Cortef/Zofran/Prevacid/Mix crushed meds with sterile water and leave to soak/Reposition Jophie/Change Diaper and bed pad and/or sheets that are usually wet/Give Albuterol and Intal Breathing treatment/Give Flovent/Set Timer to alarm every 20 minutes to give slow bolus till all feeding is done which takes around 3 hours/I lie down to try and catch a couple more hours of sleep

12 p.m.--Reposition Jophie/Change diaper and bed pad and/or sheets that are usually wet

1 p.m.--Begin water infusion which takes 2 hours/Set Timer to alarm every 20 minutes/Give Carafate

3 p.m.--Prepare Novasource Pulmonary for tube feeding/Crush Medications=Klonopin/Tegretol/Cortef/Mix crushed meds with sterile water and leave to soak/Reposition Jophie/Change Diaper and bed pad and/or sheets that are usually wet/Give Abuterol Breathing Treatment/Give meds via Mic-key and begin Tube feeding/Set Timer to alarm every 20 minutes to give slow bolus till all feeding is done which takes around 3 hours/Eeek! I haven't eaten yet! Make a mad dash to grab some food!/Grab any meds at pharmacy/groceries/pay any bills that needs paying while I'm out and about

5 p.m. on Monday/Tuesday/Thursday Nurse leaves/3 p.m. on Wednesday/Friday Nurse leaves

6 p.m.--Reposition Jophie/Change Diaper and bed pad and/or sheets that are usually wet

7 p.m.--Give Albuterol and Intal Breathing Treatment/Give Carafate/Begin water infusion which takes 2 hours/Set Timer to alarm every 20 minutes

Try to snatch a few more Zzzzzs here!

9 p.m.--Prepare Novasource Pulmonary for tube feeding/Crush Medications=Klonopin/Tegretol/Cortef/Mix crushed meds with sterile water and leave to soak/Reposition Jophie/Change Diaper and bed pad and/or sheets that are usually wet/Give Abuterol Breathing Treatment/Give meds via Mic-key and begin Tube feeding/Set Timer to alarm every 20 minutes to give slow bolus till all feeding is done which takes around 3 hours

1 a.m. and we begin all over again!

This breakdown of our schedule doesn't even include the many other things that have to be done daily with no set time. I've only included the necessary things that HAVE to be done and HAVE to be on a schedule.

Now for the "other" things that also need tending to but we have to just work in between everything else

1. Tubing changes on his Oxygen Concentrator/Nebulizer/Air Compressor and Tubing to his trach

2. Equipment check on all of his equipment to make sure everything is in working order

3. Answering any alarms from those machines

4. Suctioning

5. Range of Motion/Stretching

6. Bathing/Grooming

7. Cleaning Filters to all machines

8. Sterlizing water and/or any equipment supplies that need it

9. Laundry and just keeping up with his Bed pads/sheets/clothes that tend to be soggy from just bout every body secretion you can imagine is a chore in itself and then theres mine!

10. Dishes

11. Sterlize/wash all his tubes/syringes/feeding bolus sets/Trach mask/Nebulizers masks/Trachs/bottles

12. Pooey Patrol! Every 3 days we have to give prophylatic medications to keep up with that little sluggish system of his! ;0)

13. Phone calls daily to Medical supply companies/Insurance

14. Restocking Medical Supplies/Putting Medical supplies away as they are delivered

15. Bills that have to be paid

14. Trips to the pharmacy for medications which seems to be neverending

16. The house and outside yard comes very last but still houses need cleaned and yards need mowing

Now try slipping in there an "outing" or something "fun" for Jophie besides all the medical stuff or how bout a doctors appointment or worse still he gets sick and then we have a whole nother set of meds and treatments!

Phew! Jophie sure is a busy kid and keeps his momma and nurses busy too! It definitely takes a team to care for him and meet all his needs on a daily basis. I'm very thankful for the nurses we have and wouldn't trade them for anything. In fact, they are more like family than "hired help". I like it that way especially for Jophie. Everything in his life is so "clinical/medical" and his home is one place I won't have that. He needs to feel comfortably in his home and know this is a fun/safe place to be! Now, if I could just find another nurse to fill these gaps we are having on the weekends I'd be one happy camper. We are still winging it alone every other Saturday and are limited 3 out of 4 of our Sundays. This weekend is one of those weekends and I for one can tell you....I am one tired momma! No regrets and no complaints from this corner though! I'd go to the ends of the earth to meet Jophies needs no matter how tired it makes me! :0)

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