Always be Prepared. That was the Scout motto when I was a kid, and I’ve taken it to heart for survival purposes now that I’m a caregiver. The need to always have a “plan B” keeps me on my toes and planning ahead for the “just in case” life I now live.
Today is Saturday. So far this morning, I’ve spent most of my time cooking large pots of vegetables. I try to keep several containers of all the essential foods Lynn has to eat weekly in the freezer. By cooking in large quantities, I can work until the last minute and pull a meal out of the refrigerator or freezer without needing too much lead time. I have a freezer in the garage devoted to his food. I usually cook 15-20 servings of something at a time and put them in individual-sized plastic containers. I then slap on a label of what’s in it, and when I cook it off, it goes to the freezer to be stacked with the others of its kind. I do the same with my meats. I fill my oven with the meat of choice, then create 3-4 ounce servings for use at a later time. Then, for the meal, I pull containers, dump them on a plate, cover them in tin foil, and wala; I have a meal to throw into the oven to slowly heat till I’m ready to serve.
I’ve got a similar process for clothing. Lynn has certain clothing that he prefers to wear. After discovering what styles and fabrics don’t annoy him due to binding here or a twist there, I buy lots of them on hand, so I only have to wash clothes twice a week. He doesn’t have much variety, but he doesn’t seem bothered by that. He’s into comfort, and I’m into ease of care, and together, it works out well for us both. Therefore, I have a drawer full of gray toe socks (individual warmth for each toe), button V neck ¾ sleeve baseball-style T-shirts, and stretch base-ball slider shorts with slight padding on each side, protecting his skin as he moves in the wheelchair. Each part of his wardrobe is specifically designed to accommodate his special needs.
I have a tote bag that comes along for short trips to the doctor (which is about the only place we go anymore). Much like the diaper bag Moms carry for their young, I have a bag full of necessities. I carry enough catheter kits and supplies for the times I expect he will need to have his bladder emptied while we are gone. But I also carry two extra of everything, just in case, AND an indwelling catheter insertion kit and catheter in case the car breaks down and I have to use my spare intermittent catheter supplies. Besides catheter supplies, I carry a spare change of clothes, wipes, and an air pump in case the air cushion he sits on springs a leak. (I take an extra air cushion with me for longer trips.)
Whenever I order something that he needs, I order two—one to use and a backup. I keep a variety of bandages and wound care products, lotions, splints, pads, tapes, etc. on hand so I have what I need at the time I need it. I have found that what works on one open skin area doesn’t always work on another.
I’ve also started having an extra medication tray. I always put together the weekly medication box on Friday night, but recently, I decided having a spare would be a good idea. That way if I’m sick or hurt, his meds are already set to go.
As you can see, I have to always be thinking ahead. What I need this minute may be entirely different the next and like a good Girl Scout, I want to be prepared.
This article originally appeared on Multiplesclerosis.Net by Health-Union, LLC, and has been reposted with permission.
