It's finally happened. The Alberta Health Services has given me an ultimatum, although it was given in nice, polite, inoffensive terms. It constantly amazes me how government employees of all stripe learn very quickly not to say what they really mean, but to imply it, poke around its edges, soften their words, then allow you, almost force you, to draw the conclusion.
The ultimatum is simple, driven by my change from Self-Managed Care to Vendor Care with the loss of a live-in caregiver. I must either give up my newly purchased adjustable bed, trading it in for a standard hospital bed, or the Vendor Care agency will refuse to supply home care services to me. Alternatively, if I have my own, private caregivers, there is no need for the discussion.
This all has to do with my weight, the size of my bed, my inability to help, when the caregivers are rolling me from side to side. This problem has arisen in the last couple of months with the loss of strength in my arms and shoulders. With ALS, muscles proximate to the spine typically go first, the disease working from inner to outer. So being able to type, being able to use my forearms, is of no use in this situation.
I have decided to skirt the issue by hirinig private caregivers as quickly as I can, most likely part-timers, one for the mornings, one for the afternoons, and another two for the same blocks on the weekends. One thing I have to do is research Alberta labout law with respect to the minimum time slice I can provide within that context. I would like to do 3 hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon/evening. That afternoon/evening block would have a short visit at dinner time, then a longer visit for exercises and putting me to bed.
My workload as a personnel manager just went way up. Let's hope I have the energy for it.
Your mind is sharp enough for this job! Prayers for energy to do the tasks at hand. 🙏
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