Going for a quick weekend trip to visit friends 🤗 Because of the pandemic 😷, it’s been awhile!

Overall, my partner, his brother, and me had a great time 😄 Always fun to revisit our old stomping grounds 😁

Pre-stroke, I already had anxiety around traveling… It’s only gotten more intense 😂 To help my anxiety (especially now) extensive planning and preparation are involved…

1. Packing list – so I don’t forget anything (Google Keeps 🤗) I usually start physically packing 1 week before 😂

Used them also so we wouldn’t forget anything on our way home 🏡!

2. Maximize comfort – ADA hotel rooms reserved

More on this 👇🏽

ADA regulations:

https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm

I’ve linked the actual PDF file but I will outline too 👇🏽 I, myself, don’t know them too well…

Notes 📝 to come…

These are the regulations as of 2010.

According to our research out room was not ADA compliant… 😡

Don’t normally drop names… But in the event anyone who needed ADA accommodations, bear this in mind…👇🏽

Sonesta Emeryville-Oakland

Pros:

1. Big space

2. Comfy beds

3. Shower chair handy

Cons:

1. Undetachable shower head…

Lack of rail near the room…

Common considerations:

1. Bathrooms – My partner and I make us a M/F bathroom duo… Makes it harder (and more awkward) with typical Male & Female restrooms 🚽…

💡! Bathroom sign on the door for when my partner takes me into the men’s room or my partner comes into the girl’s…

Love ❤️ family bathrooms 🚽!

On the way up used a Starbucks so it was easy!

On the way back, went to Phil’s coffee… That one was harder… The lift was broken… Normally the lift would bring you either up or down to avoid the stairs… I ended up taking the stairs… Luckily, 🤞🏽the bathroom 🚽 was single occupancy!

2. Frequent breaks – Road-trips (especially long drives) mean you’ll be sitting prolonged periods of time…

💡While sitting, you can march to get blood flowing

3. Snacks – For me, this ties in with bathrooms, since I alternate eating and drinking… I need to do that since I partially ingest my food (terminology may be incorrect)… I have residual remnants remaining in my throat after swallowing (saw in a previous swallow study)

5. Getting around a house 🏡

Part of the reason for out trip was to visit friends 🥰 That insinuates going to their house 🏡… I was concerned because my wheelchair has been everywhere with me… We got around that by bringing my indoor walker 💡 That worked great! Left my wheelchair 🦼 outside and used the walker inside! The walker had the added benefit so I could safely stand to get my blood flowing 💡

Using the walker also gave me an opportunity to give friend’s insight on their home (it’s ADA friendliness: doorway depth, space in the bathroom, levelness of the floor 😂)

What I envisioned for this series is showing alternate viewpoints! It is in NO way meant as criticque or anything negative! At the end of the day, I’m just grateful to experience these things! I’m especially grateful to MY loved ones 🥰 Know I’m not easy to deal with but thanks for dealing with me!

I was anxious writing this series… I was afraid it’d be taken the wrong way and alienate folks! That is not what I aimed to do… I thought of it as speaking my truth! 🙏🏾 This post may not deal with delicate topics, but I just wanted to disclaimer the series!

Constant consistent fear 1) another stroke 2) falling 3) peeing involuntarily 😱 These fears are always with me… Especially on trips… These fears are more intense (I’m already intense 😂)

Mood: Steady 😄

Currently Reading: Scandalous Pasdions by Nikola Davidson

Walk it out: PT this past Thursday, walked around a party Saturday 😁

Events I’m excited for: Roadtrip to visit friends ♥️

Funny story 😂: Funny puns 😂 (not mine)

Something good: May have found a need… 🤔

Thought of the series because I have always been passionate about education and educating yourself about issues

Being wheelchair-bound decubitus ulcer’s (bed sores/pressure ulcers) are a constant realistic to worry… even with a nursing education I am still unsure about the proper diagnosis and care of a patient with resultseven with a nursing education I am still unsure about the proper diagnosis and care of a patient with results… This is Relevant relevant to me because Reading requires me to sit on my butt for long periods of time. Also as a compose this post I am doing it through talk to text because I can’t lay on my butt at the moment

My partner and I noticed gray and flaky skin last name and sole Lee messaged my PCP and we’re probably gonna meet with her at the video conference sometime this week

As a fotmer EMT, I’ve actually never seen a decubitus ulcer. All I knew was it was painful, has a distinct smell, and is more severe the deeper you go…

Care:

Turn every 2 hours!

I’ll try to use everyday talk and less nurse talk 😉

How do pressure ulcers form?

Bed sores are the result of tissue death 😱 That occurs from lack of blood flow… When you’re in a position for too long, oxygen may be cut off… That results in tissue death…

According to Web MD, decubitus ulcers are classified into 4 stages (based on severity and depth of affected tissue):

Note; I copy a lot but try to explain HOW I found my source…

1. Stage 1 – mildest stage, involves the most superficial layers of skin, commonly over bony prominences (head, butt)

“Symptoms (S/S): Pain, burning, or itching are common symptoms. The spot may also feel different from the surrounding skin: firmer or softer, warmer or cooler You may notice a red area on your skin. If you have darker skin, the discolored area may be harder to see. The spot doesn’t get lighter when you press on it, or even 10 to 30 minutes after you stop pressing. This means less blood is getting to the area..”

Note: Sogn and sympathetic (C&P from WebMD. There’s more information at https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/pressure-sores-4-stages

2. Stage 2

“Symptoms (S/S):

Your skin is broken, leaves an open wound, or looks like a pus-filled blister. 

The area is swollen, warm, and/or red. The sore may ooze clear fluid or pus. And it’s painful.

3.Stage 3

“Symptoms (S/S): The sore looks like a crater and may have a bad odor. It may show signs of infection: red edges, pus, odor, heat, and/or drainage. The tissue in or around the sore is black if it has died.

4.Stage 4

“Symptoms (S/S): The sore is deep and big. Skin has turned black and shows signs of infection — red edges, pus, odor, heat, and/or drainage. You may be able to see tendons, muscles, and bone.

Mood: Steady

Currently Reading: Olivia And The Masked Duke by Grace Callaway and Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas

Walk it out: PT Thursday and used the walker ALL night last night 👏🏽

Events I’m excited for: Despidida yesterday 🥲 and birthday 🥳 dinner

Funny story 😂: I woke up and chose violence 😂

Something good: I don’t think about the act of walking as much!