June 10, 2026 - Homeward Bound
Quick Recap
I brought Tami into the ER at 5 a.m. on May 29. She hadn’t been able to keep anything down for weeks, and by then she was weak, dehydrated, confused, and barely functioning.
In the nearly two weeks she’s been here, her care team has rehydrated her, figured out why she couldn’t eat, given her nutrients through an IV, and knocked out the infection that was dragging her down. They even got her out of bed for a few steps.
Now, at long last, it’s finally time to go home.
Setting up for Success at Home
For about a week before our trip to the ER, Tami kept saying she really wanted a hospital bed. She was struggling to sit herself up, and getting into a position where she could safely stand was even harder.
While she was in the hospital, I went ahead and bought one and had it delivered. It’s a step down from the incredible model she’s been using at Kaiser, but it’s the same manufacturer (Hill-Rom) with most of the same functions and controls, so it should feel familiar and easy for her to adjust to.
We’ve also gathered the rest of the essentials: the walkers, the bedside commode, and a very clever device called a PureWick. I won’t go into detail about how it works, but it will keep our heroine from risking a fall in the middle of the night.
As part of her home‑care setup, Tami now has an IV pole and pump so she can continue receiving her IV nutrition.
Kaiser offers a wide range of Home Health services with a very low copay, and we’ll be using several of them. A home‑health nurse will help us manage her port, monitor her overall condition, and make sure the TPN and pump are all behaving as they should. We’ve also requested physical therapy until we know exactly which exercises will safely help her rebuild some basic leg strength and stamina.
More to come…
