And a physician's assistant will treat you

“How a busy ER cut a four hour wait time to 90 minutes” was a headline that caught my attention as I pored over the online pages of Brunswick News articles.

I haven’t visited an ER since 1997. Yup, you read that right. The potential to be trapped in a waiting room with a dozen sniffling, coughing toddlers has been enough of a deterrent. In my world, the reason is clear — I cannot afford to let anything bring me down — whether a cold, the flu, a banged toe, a cut finger, a blinding headache.  My ER visit all those years ago was related to a subsequently diagnosed heart condition/defect which is, to date, well managed.

The last time I required a prescription was for an antibiotic a few months ago to treat a grotesque sinus infection — my first one ever! I almost had it kicked with homeopathics (yes, they do work!) but stronger ammunition was called for. I got the script during a routine visit with my doctor as he went over results of thyroid function bloodwork. 

ER wait times are notoriously long in this province and it’s abundantly clear that physician’s assistants have a place in that environment to move patients along in an efficient and timely manner as they dispense care and consultation to the man, woman or child who presents with one symptom or several that can be successfully treated without the need for a ‘real doctor’.  We must not dismiss the skills of the physician’s assistant.

They are highly trained professionals who have made the decision to pursue a career in the health field that allows those with whom they come into contact to better help themselves. As taxpayers, we need more of them if we have any hope of reducing the burden of the systems of care to which we’ve become accustomed. If we were to be honest, we are a significant part of the problem. Yes, we are.

How many of us have a bare-bones first aid kit in the home? Admittedly, I don’t but I do have a range of ‘medical supplies’ in the event of an emergency — elastoplast bandages, pressure gauzes, sinus tablets, cough medicine, antihistimines, over the counter pain management medications. You get the picture.

Canadian Safety Supplies has a ‘dorm room’ kit that would be ideally suited for at home use and be particularly valuable to those who currently have nothing in the way of self-care/treatment ‘tools of the trade’.  The 293-piece kit has products to treat cuts and scrapes, sprains, disinfection, eyewash and eye protection, burn relief, insect bites, flu and pandemic protection and disinfection, antibiotics, a digital thermometer, among other items. You could adapt it to your own needs with things you use on a regular basis and would benefit from having on hand in case of emergency. Also include any special items that would be needed for youngsters in the home.

  Such a medical kit would go a long way to ensuring that you won’t have to spend 8 hours in the ER to be seen for 10-15 minutes by a physician’s assistant who will send you home with sound advice on self-care and recommendations for things used to treat situations that never required an emergency room visit in the first place. 

If you’re artsy craftsy, you could recycle dish cloths and dish towels to make pouches for ice packs. In my freezer, I have a selection of ice packs available ‘just in case’. Re-useable hot/cold gel packs would also be appropriate additions to your at-home medical center; they’d also be useful for pet emergencies. On occasion, I’ve used a bag of frozen peas for knee or ankle swelling due to a strain; they work very well  and may be just thing to eliminate the need to visit the ER if you took a tumble on the ball field or on the living room floor trying to get to a dog before he leaves you a make work project. 

Think about your pain level - gauge it. Then decide if the situation actually warrants  a trip to the hospital. Calling the ER to speak to a nurse or a physician’s assistant may be sufficient to reassure you that no, you don’t need to go in. Staying home is your contribution to saving taxpayer dollars that happen to be your dollars, too! Think about that each time you are convinced a slight temperature, a swollen finger, or a slight cough needs to be seen immediately and at the hospital. Besides, hanging out in the ER invariably elevates stress levels, so your body will thank you if you just stay home, put your feet up and have a ‘for medicinal purposes’ splash of single malt or beverage of choice. Or, if you’re inclined, a nice bowl of ice cream. Comfort food is good for a body!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

I live alone, but I'm not lonely

“The feeling of being isolated is an essentially human feeling. It does not simply signify the fact of being alone. Loneliness is different from solitude. We may choose solitude; we may be alone and happy, because we know that, in other respects, we belong to a family, a community, the universe, and to God. Loneliness is a feeling that we belong to nothing, that we are cut off from everything and everyone, and that we are of no value.” [Jean Vanier]

Across the country, loneliness has reached epidemic proportions according to many studies in recent years, pointing to it being a bigger risk than smoking or obesity. That doesn’t surprise me at all. In fact, it saddens me to know that people have become so isolated, right under our very noses.

If you see your family doctor regularly and are experiencing difficulties coping with emotional troubles/stress, you must verbalize them if you are able. In knowing how you’re really feeling, your doctor, in consultation with other clinicians, will make every effort to get you on track to take advantage of resources that can help. You don’t get if you don’t ask. 

Health professionals are becoming more tuned in to subtle signs of trouble, asking specific questions to elicit responses that tend to shine a light on the true nature of what’s going on in the day-to-day world of their patients. This is especially important when treating folks who live on their own without ready access to family and lacking a solid network of friends in the community. Isolation amongst seniors is pervasive; those of advanced age, into their 80s and early 90s, who are able to physically maintain their home, whether a small apartment or a small house are so intent on proving they can do it that they balk at the very idea of help. Sadly, family and friends may stop asking. Don’t do that. Keep checking in and pay attention for clues that may indicate there’s a problem with your loved one.

As holidays approach, many people who live on their own wonder what they will do. Well, to start, if you have a particular skill, like sewing, call your local churches and let them know that you’d like to participate in their Christmas play, helping to make costumes. If transportation is an issue, let them know. Other opportunities for social engagement exist during holiday time as well; serving at church or service club sponsored sit down meals at the local church hall or community centre. Baking is a great way for folks to get connected. It’s a tangible way for you to share of yourself. If you make a fabulous pumpkin pie or mince pie, don’t keep that to yourself. Fire up the oven and bake a few to take along to the next community social gathering. You don’t have to stay long if you don’t want to. 

Loneliness is an easy trap to fall into, with self-worth taking a hit as the drive/desire to get out there and participate goes flat. Then there’s the matter of isolation being a by-product of illness and lack of connectedness because of it. Often, people who are unwell physically just don’t have the get up and go to be out and about. That doesn’t mean they don’t want to be involved, to have people contact; simply put, they don’t have the energy. Many conditions and diseases are so fatiguing that they really do suck the life out of one. I believe that we have an opportunity help change the landscape by looking to how we can make a difference in the lives of those who are living on the fringes, perhaps just two doors down. Don’t just talk about what you would like to do, get out there and do it. Someone needs you. In the effort to combat elder loneliness is also opportunity for youth driven volunteerism. Imagine that!

If you’re a shut in more by choice than circumstance, you really can make a difference in the life of someone who has no choice. Have you ever considered becoming a friendly visitor to the hospitalized person — perhaps reading the paper with them. Even visiting in the cafeteria of a nursing home is a way to connect with those who don’t always have enough ‘people contact’. The bonus is that it helps break the back of your own self-imposed isolation.

  Recently, I had a telephone conversation a grand old gal in her 70s and living alone, she wanted to know what services might be available to connect her to the community. She knew she needed to ‘get out’ more, saying that a computer she once had gave her a ‘connection’; now, she can’t afford a replacement. I offered a few ideas with regard to agencies that might be able to help with her need for people contact.

That got me thinking about what steps the business community might be able to take to enhance connection of the elderly, shut-in, or medically compromised who don’t get out and about easily to participate in their communities. Access to a computer would fill in a gap, but it shouldn’t be a replacement ‘friend’ when a real, live, breathing one is the ideal.

How many businesses are planning to upgrade their computer systems in the next several months? Would you consider turning over your old systems after reformatting, donating them to those who don’t have a computer? How about raffling them off to raise money for a special community project? Would internet service providers be prepared to offer seniors new to computers a reduced fee for an internet connection? When ease of getting out and about is compromised by frailty or issues with mobility, or lack of transportation, a computer creates a connection, creates a community. The business community has opportunity to take the lead.

Health care professionals, notably doctors and other providers of medical interventions can further contribute to patient wellness by keeping updated lists of various agencies and other social services so as to provide much needed contact information to those who may be in need guidance outside routine medical examinations. Communication is key. Access to health and wellness service providers outside the clinical setting would be a valuable tool for the senior who strives to live safely in his own home for as long as possible. These critical conversations are necessary for all of us, young and old, to maintain healthy and healthful living.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

A daily dose of togetherness is the perfect prescription for young and old

Over medicating in care facilities, and self-medicating, or in some cases, over- self-medicating at home is not new and it’s not confined to the elderly, who are often thought to be forgetful and not ‘checking it twice’. Medication over-use and misuse is sadly, and often tragically a growing problem amongst all age groups.

Thankfully, when it comes to seniors and those of significantly advanced age, clinical staff in many care facilities are addressing the issues head-on and hands-on, examining what patients are taking and why. Very often, the ‘why’ is taken care of right away when drugs are no longer ordered as the condition for which they were required no longer exists. That should beg another question - why, in some cases, was a drug no longer required still being prescribed and dispensed? Along with that is learning how drugs interact with each other and how some drugs offer the same benefit as other drugs and taking away one cuts into ‘duplication of services’. 

The rationale of prescribing drugs that serve only to sedate should be examined more closely via conversations with the patient, as he is able, and anyone attached to him who has regular contact who knows how the patient lives/copes on a day to day basis. Once in assisted care, a lot of the routine tasks normally undertaken by the elderly person are charged to someone else - a nurse or other caregiver. That being so, some of the previously ‘required’ drugs, like those for pain management, may not be indicated. Again, conversations about the ‘why’ of pharmacological intervention  is critical.

In the clinical care setting, there has to be an admission of culpability by hands-on clinicians that some patients are sometimes or even frequently sedated for the convenience of staff. If asked, I’m sure some frontline health care workers will admit to wanting to sedate ‘so-and-so’ ‘because s/he’s too needy, too demanding’, ‘always ringing the nurse’, and so on. 

Many eldercare facilities, with the Planetree model in place, have gone a long way to enhancing quality of life of their residents. Inviting the community to ‘come on in’ has been a huge success. Seniors in care have lost access to a big part of themselves and their identity - the community in which they live. They’re now relegated to a life behind brick walls. Certainly, facilities are  high tech, but they’re still ‘facilities’, and they are sterile no matter how much of ‘home’ is brought in to ‘pretty up’ a room. It’s the ‘people connection’ that will ultimately make a huge difference in the life of an older person in care, even if dementia plays a role in their daily interactions. Wouldn’t it be great if a hug could be pulled out of a bottle and dispensed at will? It’s long been demonstrated that a touch, a hug, a kind word, and a smile go a long way to lifting the mood. Make no mistake, a senior, even those lost in dementia, need all of that and more. Their need for connection doesn’t disappear the moment they pass through the doors of a care facility. In fact, it’s even more critical that they be made not to feel abandoned and forgotten. 

Planners of primary and elementary education are developing programs that include ‘friendly visiting’ at local nursing homes. Young school children are often removed from what goes on with the older persons in their community by virtue of age, certainly, but also because lots of children are still functioning in the ME mode, which is to be expected.  But, at some stage, they have to be guided into more WE activities and what better way to do that than to get them acquainted with serving the community, serving those who have lived and worked in the community for decades. The young meeting the old must be part of the circle of life, to coin a popular phrase. No one should live in isolation at the end of their days. That’s not humane. 

Youngsters, if given the opportunity, would enjoy spending time with older people, hearing their stories, listening to and singing their songs, sharing a meal.

Imagine what the lost art of actually making bread together could accomplish? Dough kneading has been proven to help persons recovering from stroke with the repetitive motion of hands and arms communicating with the brain to restore function. As well, on many levels, persons with dementia will ‘remember when’, if they are given opportunities to ‘get back in the kitchen’. The mutual benefits to a 7 year old and a 70 year old rolling up their sleeves to work together for a few hours a week are many and will create cherished memories. No pills required.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca

But I'm too young to be in a nursing home

There are many variables that contribute to the rising numbers of ‘too young’ men and women in nursing homes, but systems of elder care just aren't ready for those aging with conditions like cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, autism or Asperger's or diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s and so on.

Many seniors with since birth or long term disabilities, not yet of the typical nursing home age, have had full and productive lives, attended university, worked in a fulfilling career, married, had children, raised a family — all those things that everyone one else does. We’ve had to work out strategies very early on to accomodate our challenges but with the passage of time it gets more and more exhausting by virtue of the nature of our physical conditions or our mental capacities or our emotional wellness to keep on going. Time for a new plan.

Those of us living with disability who are out in the world on a daily basis doing all those ‘normal’ things have a whole host of issues not shared by our peers with disability who were cared for at home by parents who are now aging; aging out of their ability to keep up with the challenges of looking after a 50 or even a 60 year old son or daughter with disability. For them, when home with Mom and Dad or sibling caregiver is no longer an option, they become part of the nursing home stream. Levels of cognition vary, so that many may not worry or wonder about where they are so long as they have food and drink. Food is the great equaliser.

Nursing homes aren’t always the best choice when social stimulation is what was in place during Mom and Dad’s care. In the nursing home setting, there’s the risk of relegating the profoundly disabled younger person into a bed  — it’s convenient, and they’re safe. But are they really? 

If we’re going to focus on humanity and humaneness, we need more communities/homes modeled after L’Arche, founded in 1964, or The Boston Home, in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1881.

Today, in the Boston Home, politically correct terminology replaces the Dickensian labels, and the programs and services offered are more in keeping with inclusion and treating individuals as real people with real feelings, not just as patients to be ‘cared for’, in the clinical/medical sense. 

Today, the home offers long-term to end of life care for adults with a range of disabling conditions that preclude independent living. The average age of residents is 58 and the residents are not defined by their disabilities. They’re people first.

Likewise, the L'Arche Community is another way for adults with disabilities to be safe and cared for in environments that meet their daily needs. Founded by Jean Vanier, a renowned philosopher, theologian and humanitarian, L’Arche has, with compassionate care, served the needs of the intellectually disabled for decades. 

The Boston Home and L’Arche are but two examples of alternatives to long term care of the young and middle-aged and aging adults with disability, but there needs to be more such places and sufficient staff and volunteers to keep them going, especially given the reality that our senior population is growing in number and part of that population have needs above and beyond the typical aging person.

Imagine being 25 years old living with cerebral palsy and realising that the only place for you to live is a nursing home because it’s architecturally accessible and close to services you utilise on a daily basis - like going to university. 

In nursing homes there are agitated patients with self-control issues, so a profoundly physically challenged person with cerebral palsy cannot defend herself against bites and hair pulling and punching. There has to be something else. There needs to be something else.

Even if the care and services of the home are perfect, there is a psychological toll to being decades younger than your peers. Unlike older residents, a young person may not be as stimulated with bingo games and crossword puzzles. Another missing link is meaningful conversation with peers. Then there’s the relationship experience with a potential romantic interest. Access to those quality of life necessities for the younger set are not easily found in a nursing home environment.

For me, though, adherence to scheduled meals would be a problem as would be a significant portion of the menu offerings. I would not be a good nursing home candidate before the age of 90! Perhaps if I was appointed social director or menu planner, I might survive. I’m all about the food!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

I'm living with a 'sundowner' dog

Mr. Digby, my 14 year old Australian Silky Terrier housemate is a ‘sundowner dog’; in clinical terms, he suffers from canine cognitive disorder though episodes of confusion are infrequent at this point. He could be disoriented for just minutes or for a few hours (more than 2) at a time. He’s more likely to become confused as darkness settles on the day — not unlike what happens to elderly humans.

Behavior changes occurring just before dark is called Sundowner's Syndrome or sundowning.Dogs, as well as seniors with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia may be more agitated and confused. I find that to be the case with my senior canine companion who is noticeably disoriented as the sun goes down. His demeanor adjusts when the lights are turned up —he becomes more animated and aware. As to the elderly loved one, light up their lives to improve their mood. As well, a little night music may lessen the impact of agitation.

Well illuminated spaces so that the individual can safely move about minimize the impact of Sundowner’s Syndrome; keep walking/travelling routes clear — from kitchen to dining room to living room to bedroom, and so on. Non-slip flooring and limited or no use of scatter rugs is very helpful. 

Those affected may also "shadow" their caregivers, following them around and doing everything they do, asking questions over and over or interrupt conversations with someone else. Sometimes there is a loss of full language abilities and abstract thoughts may become especially difficult to comprehend. Very often, an elderly person can be settled with the offer of a familiar finger food — a successful way of redirecting fixated or fixating behaviour.

Mr. Digby’s shadowing doesn’t seem particularly purposeful until I pause at  his ‘food cupboard’. If I stop there for even a moment, he’s perked up and alert to the possibility that a treat is forthcoming. It usually is. Once he’s partaken, he seems satisfied that that’s all there is and makes his way to one of his many sleeping spots, but not before a bit of play time. He still has a great interest in his toys.

Sundowning causes a variety of behaviors, such as confusion, anxiety, aggression or ignoring directions. It can also lead to pacing or wandering. To be clear, it’s not a disease, but a group of symptoms that occur at a specific time of the day that may affect people with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. Not by nature an ill-tempered dog, Mr. Digby’s history of previous abuse contributes to revisiting past hurts. Humans will often squash down traumas in order to cope with the present; the same is true for dogs and other animals. They do remember but positive life experiences post-abuse turns things around until dementia moments grab them. Interacting, both with humans and with aging pets in a calm, even voice is most helpful.

Some medical professionals believe that the syndrome is an accumulation of all of the sensory stimulation from the day that becomes overwhelming and causes stress. Others speculate that it is caused by hormonal imbalances that occur at night. Another theory suggests that the onset of symptoms at night is simply due to fatigue, and others believe it has to do with the anxiety caused by the inability to see as well in the dark.

In many respects, with regard to patterns of behaviour, dementia in my dog is not unlike that in a human. He’s more alert after a nap. Up and about for several hours through the day, he tends to go to his basket when I take a break to watch a movie, though he’s always keen to intrude on my meals. In vet terms, he’s considered geriatric and like his human counterparts he does well when his routine isn’t disrupted or altered. Sometimes, changes are necessary, so it’s important to ease the transition.

Although you may not be able to stop it completely, you can take steps to help manage this challenging time of day so you both sleep better and are less tired during the day. Keep the elder’s medical care team apprised of what is being done to cope with Sundowner’s Syndrome. What you have found helps in your situation may help another family experiencing similar issues.

Maintaining a routine tends to alleviate sundowning anxiety. Putting on pajamas can be helpful triggers that the day is winding down — follow with a bedtime snack. Going to bed with hunger pangs interferes with the relaxation required for sleep.

After his evening constitutional, Mr. Digby has a biscuit and is escorted to the bedroom to slumber on his blanket on top of my bed. I turn on the television so he has a sense of ‘someone’ in the room, so he’s less likely to get up and wander. I’m then able to leave him on his own to enjoy a movie in the tv room without interruption.

Life is good.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

It was bound to happen! I'm in therapy again!

        I’ve recently revisited those days of being treated like a wishbone at Christmas dinner, only the exercises are less painful than those of my toddler- and childhood. I am convinced that my mother’s extended hands-on  involvement from the outset has contributed to me still being uprightly mobile today. Of late, however, there’s been a need to fine-tune mechanisms of stepping/rotation, which involves exercises to strengthen lower back and legs.

Though I am quite proactive with regard to health and wellness, I’ve not engaged in any formal ‘maintenance’ therapy program since I was a child and my mother ran the show, putting me through my paces several times a day until I was 12 or 13 at which point, the daily therapies were to become a thing of the past. I was required, however, to continue with stationary bicycle time along with weight lifting - a metal ‘boot’ with weight disks worn on the foot while seated in a sturdy chair. The leg was lifted as high as I could go and then stretched out; held to a 10 count. Each leg was exercised 5 times. Those, among a few other ‘do it yourself’ exercises were part of my youthful routine.

Today, at 64, I keep myself in shape with a range of exercises that actually happen as the result of daily housework chores; my goal has always been to be as mobile as I could be within the parameters of growing up with cerebral palsy and it’s amazing how limber I am thanks to brush scrubbing carpets and scrubbing kitchen and bathroom floors by hand. Because I have never had a fully ‘correct’ stepping mechanism for walking, I mimick how the hips are to move by ‘knee walking’ a few times a week. I knee walk around the living room while dusting tables and knick-knacks, then I push myself up to the standing position thanks to heavy furniture. It’s key that furniture does not move when I lean on or into it.

There are things that I should have/could have done differently to have ensured greater spine integrity; notable among them was dividing my time between walking and wheeling during university and during my work life. It wasn’t possible to use a wheelchair any sooner, even part time, as the schools I attended in my youth were not wheelchair accessible. One thing in my favour is that I have exceptional sitting posture — no slouching. A few times each day I do tummy tucking exercises and ‘pull’ myself up straighter and hold to a 10 count - several reps to improve core strength.

Recently, I was visited by a physiotherapist and her assistant, part of the Extra Mural’s team of clinicians who visit clients in the home, providing a range of therapeutic interventions. The New Brunswick Extra-Mural Program (EMP), known as the “hospital without walls’ is the provincial home healthcare program that provides services to New Brunswickers’ of all ages, in their homes (personal residence, special care home, nursing home). 

The licensed physiotherapist, under her associate’s watchful eyes, did several range of motion exercises. I was pleased that I had such a good range to accommodate the passive exercises for the lower back and lower extremities.

The associate, a trained physiotherapy and occupational therapy assistant will be visiting me going forward, with the program developed by my physiotherapist — including several in home sessions, after which I would carry on with help from a friend or family member.

High school courses of physics, biology and math are requirements to undertake the physiotherapy or occupational therapy assistant program at NBCC or Eastern College. One must be flexible and adaptable with lots of patience. Good observation and organizational skills are critical. Most important is to be able to assist people who are under physical and emotional stress. Being able to work collaboratively as part of a team is also requisite. In some locations across this province and others, bilingualism would be a requirement to secure a position as a physiotherapy assistant. The demands on the Extra Mural Hospital system are becoming such that more assistants will be required. If someone in your world might be suited to such a job, point them in that direction. The rewards are manifold.

With a little ingenuity, it’s amazing what one can accomplish. In my situation, the nature of the implications of aging with cerebral palsy poses certain restrictions within the parameters of a therapy regimen. All is not lost however — I’ve enlisted a friend who will give a whole new meaning to ‘pulling your leg’, having watched my scrawny pins being worked over by a trained professional. I can only hope that she harbours no nefarious intent. I see the wheels turning from here.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

The real cost of health care in New Brunswick

        As consumers of medical services we have no clue about how much various procedures cost in real dollars because we don’t pay for much of the care we receive, yet so many among us present at the ER with often benign complaints/concerns that would have been better served staying home. Think about that for a moment. Think about what you could be doing instead of loading up the family to go to the hospital. 

Sadly, I suspect we’re conditioned to believe that every little cut, bruise, sniffle, sneeze, pain in the chest, expulsion of flatulence, eye pain, ear pain, nose pain, throat pain demands that we go to the hospital at once. Go there to wait and wait and wait and wait. Why aren’t we seen at once? We’re sick! We might be dying!

How many young mothers who can’t find a babysitter take 4 kids, all under seven, to sit with her in the ER; one child with the sniffles and 3 others of various ages running all over the place, squealing and banging toys at those little tables in the corner. There she sits for one hour. Two. Three. Four. Children are whining. Children are hungry. What does she do? Does she stick it out? The child with the sniffles who was really hot and listless at home, is sleeping, clutching a sippy cup. The fever broke. Hmm! She goes home, giving up on the wait.

In dollar terms, at the minimum wage of $11.25/hour and an ER wait time of 4 hours (low end wait time), a person has effectively lost $45. Forty-five dollars, people! Imagine what one could have done with that money. 

Next time you think you must go to the hospital for a cough, think about this — the cost of a few ‘cold comfort’ products instead of that drive-through meal you had yesterday would have saved you from yourself and ensured that your children weren’t exposed unnecesarily to all those waiting room germs.

While you’re at it, make a list of things that are commonly used during cold/flu season and top up your medicine cabinet, remembering to keep all products out of reach of children. Expand your wound care supplies; if you have very little, investigate and determine what is needed, make a list and check it twice. Then, go get it. Small storage bins are great for storing medical gear like bandages, gauze pads, elastic bandages, an array of over the counter cold, cough and sinus medications. Make sure to get paediatric formulations if there are little ones in the home - keep your ‘medicine chest’ out of reach of those tiny hands.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca