Since Ronnie came home from the hospital, we have had CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants) helping with his care. When he first came home, that care was all consuming – bathing, toileting, dressing, wound care, etc – and it was so nice to have an extra pair of hands to help me with that. I am very thankful that Ronnie’s social worker and her agency realized that I needed the help and were very quick to provide it. But now I’m glad those services are drawing to a close.
Ronnie can take care of almost all his needs now. His surgery wounds are healed. He doesn’t need help with lifting or transferring. He can take a shower all by himself. He dresses himself. In short, he is back to pre-surgery form. So, the CNAs are no longer needed, and for that I am glad.
I’m sure like for many people in the world of personal assistance, the pay isn’t good for the CNA. That means that usually the ‘cream of the crop’ folks are not drawn to that career choice. We had two CNAs that seemed interested in doing a good job, but we had several more who were not good at all. Even the ones that were passably good were often late, needed to leave early, or had some other drama in their lives that ended up having an impact on Ronnie and our family.
And I was just really uncomfortable with a string of strangers in my house.
I don’t know how the families do it that need full-time nursing care for their children. Even around the clock care. How do they adjust to having people around while they sleep and otherwise go about their daily routine? And that daily routine is exactly what was disrupted for me.
I need my routine. My children need their routine. And no matter how good the CNA or nurse might be, routines have to change to accommodate them.
We only have one more day – today – with a CNA, and I am so looking forward to having my life back.
Does any of this make sense?
3 comments:
It's really hard having a string of strangers going through your home. We went through it briefly when Mom was living with us. It's hard to describe exactly, some of them we really got to know rather well and most of them were nice (you always get a few though ...) but, yeah, hard to describe but I know exactly what you mean.
And how people do 24/7 care for their kids... I have no idea, except to think that at some point, as a coping mechanism, you must get use to it or find a way to ignore it or something.
I totally get it, it's an invasion of privacy. I'm one of those people who absolutely cannot live with room-mates. I hate having all these other people around in my space who don't need to be there. I mean it's great the CNA's were at least there to do a job, but still it can be unnerving having someone else in your house.
Being a CNA myself - i find it an invasion of their privacy to go into someones home and help them, yet they need the help, so you just do it. its hard. i understand both sides.
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