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My husband has had back problems for a couple weeks. It was diagnosed as sciatica and he seemed to get better for awhile but he has since experienced more pain and has become more frail. At night he gets up every 2 hours to urinate and since he cannot get himself out of bed or back into bed that means I also get up every 2 hours. I help boost him to a standing position in a walker. One night he fell in the bathroom and we had to call the EMTs to get him up and into bed because I cannot possibly lift him. If that happens again I think he will have to be admitted to a care facility, something neither of us wants. I am getting ever more exhausted from lack of sleep and am worried about hurting myself with the constant boosting since he needs to get out of his chair every 2 hours all day, too.



I bought incontinence briefs hoping I could at least sleep all night. He wore them but insisted on getting up every two hours.



It's a holiday weekend so tomorrow he calls for another doc appointment and I call agencies to see if I can hire someone to come in at least a few nights a week. That's an expensive fix when an inexpensive fix is available but there you have it. I need to call anyway because I am thinking this could well be the new normal.



I don't mean to be just venting, though I admit I'm frustrated. I plan to talk to a neighbor tomorrow (assuming she's back) since her husband was wheelchair bound for months. This came on so suddenly when he work up with back pain one morning. I have not adjusted to it yet.

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Make sure that your husband knows that his options are to use the continence briefs as they are intended at night (perhaps day as well), or alternatively to go to a care facility. You are giving him options that he prefers but that don’t work for you. Stop!
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"If that happens again..."

If that happens again, he may die of a fall. Then you won't have to admit him to a care facility. He'll be too dead.

There isn't adjusting to this. There's realistically assessing the situation, looking at options, and finding something that works.

That would be admitting him to a care facility ASAP. Your husband has serious problems now, and it's up to you to make sure he is safe.

Very sorry, but you've done your best and now it's time to realize and accept that this is beyond you.
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What about getting him a urinal, he can use that without getting up.
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