Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful for all of the supplies that are arriving on my doorstep - bottles of formula, feeding bags, tubing, etc. But it all arrives in bulk; one month's worth of supplies at a time.
Our house was "cozy" before Oliver arrived. For nearly nine months, we worked at cleaning out closets. We reorganized to make more room. We bought a small storage shed. And when Oliver arrived in August, our house became a little "cramped" with teeny clothes, play mats, swings, diapers and such.
Then, in December, the equipment began arriving. At first, just a CoughAssist and a pulse oximeter. Neither had much in the way of additional supplies (or "consumables" as the insurance company likes to call them). Then we got a couple good-sized boxes of SimplyThick to add to the breast milk. Then we switched to formula with the SimplyThick added.
In February, the newest addition to our equipment family arrived: a nebulizer. And several little boxes of albuterol to go with it. A mask or two. Some tubing. A makeshift adapter with a T-connection so Ollie could have his treatments while lying down. We'd gone from a little cramped to surrendering the coffee table to the equipment family.
We got home from the hospital on Tuesday with a couple of patient belonging bags with 5mL and 3mL syringes to flush the tubing for his feeds. Several Y-site extension tubes to make it easier to administer medicines via g-tube. A couple of 60mL syringes to vent his g-tube and give feeds via gravity. A few bags to hang feeds in case we got a pump.
Then Wednesday rolls around. The home medical equipment and supply company delivers a Kangaroo Joey feeding pump with small backpack. More feed bags. A pole to hang the feeds and mount the pump.
Today, a box of 30 feed bags arrives. Along with more Y-site extensions. Plus four cases of ready to feed formula. And one can of powdered formula. The tubing that runs from Oliver's Bard button to the Y-site extension tube hasn't even arrived yet.
Friday, March 20, 2009
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I'm a friend of Mary and Jon. Our daughter had a terminal heart condition and we were blessed to have her with us for 15 wonderful months. Hayden Grace spent 1/2 of her life in the PICU in Raleigh and we had tons of equipment-oxygen, feeding supplies for her G-tube, 7 medications, neb treatments and numerous doctor appts throughout the week. She passed away 2 years. I know how overwhelming everything can be. If you ever need to talk or a shoulder to lean on, I am always here. Hayden's blog was www.haydengcraver.blogspot.com and her journey was from Feb 06 to Dec 06.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Shannon