The Cavalry is Coming!!!

Today, tonight to be exact, a home health aid is coming. She will be staying from 11pm-5am!! I have the opportunity to get my first full night of sleep in over a month. I am giddy. After weeks of trying to muddle through, I decided to stop playing the martyr and get some help. I am exhausted.
I took Grandma to the Summa Center for Senior Health on Friday. This place is a Godsend. It's just what we needed. They did a very thorough evaluation. Asked us tons of questions, both together and separately to really see what our needs are. They work to not only take care of the patient, but also the caregiver. It was so nice to feel cared for! They also reassured me that I'm doing everything that I can, with one exception. "You're not taking care of the caregiver", said the social worker. She was the one who really encouraged me to get some help at night.
I resisted at first, but she gently reminded me that if I don't care for myself there won't be anyone to care for Grandma or my family. Plus, I've been pretty cranky.
The Center works to bring all of Grandma's health concerns to one place. They have a team that works together to manage her care, both physically and emotionally. They work with the family as a whole because they understand how important it is to have everyone informed. It was the first time I've felt really comfortable with her care. I was able to ask all my questions and voice all my concerns without feeling stupid of judged. I wanted to hug them all as we left. Oh, BTW, it was a 2.5 hour appointment. I said it was thorough.
Grandma has been managing without her sling. Her collarbone doesn't seem to bother her at all. We have another check up on Monday then she should be able to start physical therapy on it.
An interesting thing that I learned was that people with dementia can have a hard time expressing pain and it can show up in odd ways, i.e. hallucinations. The doctor put her on Tylenol for the next two weeks to help deal with the cracked ribs. She has been functioning much better. There is so much to learn!!