Home Care #2

     As promised yesterday I will continue with my description of how quickly things have changed at my residence.  As I noted I have been here 18 months, always felt comfortable and secure and extolled the virtue of being here. It always felt like a home.  No more.  When the refrigerator was secured with a padlock, not allowed to turn on a light before 5:00 AM in the dining room because it disturbs the 24 hour caregiver who sleeps on a couch in the living room.  No one is allowed   in the kitchen after 10:00 PM or outside on the patio that people use to smoke cigarettes.  I understood the removal of the coffee pot since there are only two of us who drink coffee.  We buy our own supply but we have to ask for sugar or cream if we don't want to drink it black.  I hate that we need to ask since her facial expression and body language say it's a lot of trouble for her and she resents having to do it.  There used to be some sugar for residents use in a jar but now it's hidden just like paper towels and you have to ask for a napkin.

     Breakfast now is about the same, except that now the toast is dry with nothing  available to put on it, not even cheap margarine.  There is always scrambled eggs, McDonalds style potato patty, poor tasting sausage links and either oatmeal, grits or cold cereal.  I usually pour the milk off my cereal and save it for the next day's coffee.  I hide it under the bread in the bottom of the big freezer outside my door.  Lunch is always one and a half of a tuna salad or bologna sandwich, some potato chips and a small cop of Kool-Aid.  We used to sometimes get tea but not lately.  The drink is only Kool-Aid, cold water and in a blue moon, some cola. Dinner is usually hot dogs if not some hamburger and elbow macaroni.  I counted we had hot dogs for lunch or dinner six times this week. Condiments for the hot dogs are mustard or ketchup.  We once had a jar of relish but I got the last of it yesterday.  I would really like some chili or chopped onion to go with the potato chips and Kool=Aid on the naked wieners on the cold buns.

     I did forget that on Thursday, we have frozen pizza from Walmart that gets topped with sliced onion and bell pepper, then baked in an oven.  The crust gets hard as slate and you have to eat with hands as a fork won't cut it.  Again napkins all hidden somewhere.  Luckily I stash toilet paper on my wheelchair to use when nothing else is available.

     Tomorrow I will wrap this up of how to cope in a house with no special disabled facilities and what I looking for and how.