Archive Notes: This is an English translation and rewritten version of a blog post originally published in Japanese on October 27, 2019. [Japanese version]
The nursing nightwear I ordered online for my mother on the evening of the 20th finally arrived all the way from Yamaguchi Prefecture.
I had specified a morning delivery time, so I was worried it might not arrive until tomorrow. I’m really glad it got here even a day earlier than expected.
Thanks to that, I was able to wash it once before she wears it.
Even though new pajamas are made of gauze material, they can still feel a bit stiff right out of the package, right?
I was a little worried, thinking, “Is the pattern too loud?” or “Is the color a bit off?” But as expected from clothing designed for caregiving, it’s tailored thoughtfully for elderly people, and I felt relieved.
Since it’s designed specifically for bedridden patients, all the seams are on the outside to protect fragile skin. The material is a double-layer gauze that feels nice and substantial without being too thin.
I even ironed the one outfit she’ll be wearing when she gets discharged from the hospital.
Of course, I would never bother ironing clothes for everyday wear at home!
After that, I cleared out the space where her care bed will be placed.
As I stripped off the sheets and mattress pads from the semi-double bed my mother had been using…
I had a tough time removing a whole bunch of safety pins that were holding the box sheet and other covers together!
Why do older generations love securing everything with safety pins so much?
When I counted them, there were 13 safety pins attached! Pillowcases, mattress covers—you name it, everything was pinned down.
Tomorrow, with the help of my daughter’s friend, we’re going to move that semi-double bed into the next room so I can set up a place for myself to sleep.
My father has been complaining about feeling like he’s coming down with a cold ever since he got his flu shot on the 17th, and it seems he skipped his bath again today.
Since he skips his baths on and off, I have to constantly adjust the bath-cleaning schedule I manage on my smartphone. Honestly, it’s quite a hassle.
If I relied on my memory, I’d immediately get confused and think, “Wait, did I clean the tub yesterday or not?”
On my own bed, I just have a mattress pad over the mattress, covered with a flat sheet like the ones you find in hotels.
However, when I stripped my mother’s bed, I found a fitted box sheet with elastic, topped with a towel-like pad that had elastic straps on all four corners, followed by a full semi-double futon mattress, and then another thick mattress pad on top of that.
She was using the bed completely wrong! Lol.
On top of that, she was always sitting on the very edge of the bed to watch TV, so one spot on the mattress is probably completely sunken in…
I’ve had nights where I couldn’t sleep well even in my own bed at home. I wonder if I’ll actually be able to sleep starting Tuesday, while constantly worrying about my mother’s condition?
I won’t know until I try, but we’ll see how it goes.
I ordered a waterproof sheet for the care bed. Just one for now.
I do want one more, but I can’t judge whether the quality is good or bad until I actually see it in person.
I’m making full use of Amazon Prime these days!
I was also looking into disposable sheets, but they were much more expensive than I expected, so I’m still pondering that option.
I also ordered a caregiving notebook. I found a notebook that’s absolutely perfect for someone like me who loves taking notes.
It’s a bit scary seeing so many expenses piling up all at once.
But I guess it can’t be helped.
After all, we decided against long-term hospitalization…
