Tips, Tricks, Winks, and Gotchas

               I love watching YouTube videos and particularly some of the makeup tutorials where the girls do their “hauls” of the various potions and products and review them. This is the equivalent of a “haul video” in that I wanted to put out there some things I learned that may benefit you.

                I’ve shared some tips already, but a great tip is to always stockpile the standard items. Stock up on toilet paper and non-perishable goods when they go on sale so you are never running out and last minute sprinting to the store. Keep canned soup and frozen vegetables on hand always for quick dinners. You can freeze croissants from the bakery or even keep cans of ready-made dough in the refrigerator for quick sandwiches.

                One of my favorite tricks is slipping fiber into your loved one’s diet. So many medications can cause constipation for your loved one, and combined with less activity, it isn’t good. I bought powdered fiber and would slip it into coffee, tea, just about anything to help get it in throughout the day. I believe it helps.

                My favorite wink is to let you know that doctor’s offices often have samples of medications and are happy to give them to you, if you ask. This could save you a few bucks, so don’t be shy! Ask! The worst they can do is say they don’t have any samples to give you. Actually, I am going to extend this and not only do doctor’s offices have samples, but I also got samples of Elizabeth Arden 8-hour cream and other moisturizers which was helpful for Gramps when he shaved and he had dry skin (again, partially from the medications).

                A gotcha is regarding medications. Not all medications are made the same. I am all for generic medicines instead of brand name – if they work for your loved one. I’ve learned that sometimes the brand name is better and other times the generic is just fine. The bottom line is that you don’t often get the medications right the first time out of the gate. Sometimes it’s not just generic vs. brand, but manufacturer, or dose, or even one medicine can have side effects that could require taking something else which is a slippery slope, so be careful.

We had a terrible side effect of one medication that I will share, as it was dramatic and really one of those moments where I prayed that Gramps was going to be okay in my care. He complained he wasn’t sleeping well, so I asked his primary care for something to help him at night. The doctor gave us a mild dose of an anti-anxiety pill. That night, Gramps had what I thought was a terrible nightmare. It was actually a hallucination and it was so real to him, it was terrible. It was all he talked about for weeks. It just wasn’t right for him. I switched to non-caffeinated iced tea and chamomile in the evening as natural alternatives. This was a scary gotcha!