Wow this sounds like a horror story that probly many of us
unfortunately encountered at one point of our lives.
I use a Coleman inflatable air camping mattress from walmart. Costs
about $14.99 plus tax for a twin. It fits on a hospitol bed perfectly
widthwise, longwise it is a lil short. I have been using them for
quite some years now, ( knock wood) quite successfully. No break
downs, whatsoever!
But, as for stage iv wounds, your insurance should cover a good
Clinitron bed, or equivilent. Check with your healthcare provider.
They should be able to refer u to the right matress dealer.
I was offered an APP(alternating overlay, which was shortlived.
They crack at the seams, and needed to be replaced frequently. They
were very overpriced and overrated. I just refused to accept them
anymore and not let them charge my insurance.
But if you are not brokendown, don't have anyone to shift you
around, this airmattress is wonderful!
I am from pa. I don't and won't go out in the winter. On top of
that I get extremely lazy, by not even getting out of bed, only to
shower, for extremely long periods of time. I know first-hand these
matressss are safe enough for longterm use for me.
By the souunds of those pressure sores, he should qualify for a
clinatron, or low airloss type of mattress, one that rotates air
around. Good luck! You are gonna need it dealing with Dr.s!!
Sent from my iPhone
On Dec 7, 2009, at 6:27 PM, Quadius <[email protected]> wrote:
Type in "low air loss mattress" into Google and check that out. You
can also find stuff on Amazon, eBay, and a multitude of other places.
On Sun, Dec 6, 2009 at 6:18 PM, medethics Cvlrights <[email protected]
> wrote:
Hi John
Thanks so much for the information. He cannot lie facing forward
because he has a PEG tube and PICC line . Also, very bad autonomic
dysreflexia, made worse due the wound infections. Even worse is his
arms. They are tight against his chest, contracted and contorted. He
has some movement of his arms as wings, and has shoulder movement,
but not much else.
Neglect at the hospital was cause of his wounds. Most specifically,
spending 9 months in the ICU in NJ.
He had a motorcycle accident in 2007, had surgery, went to Kessler,
did great using a power chair with use of his arms and able to feed
himself with bracing. Then, home for a couple of days and
infections. Then sent to the local community hospital in Somerset
County, where he coded in the ER, and then 9 months in the ICU. It
was here they kept him in the bed without turning him, and no PT. He
developed infections, sepsis, mrsa,severe contractures, coded again,
etc.
When I went to see him, I found he did not even have an accessible
call bell. The bed was not right and they were not cleaning him. The
doctor told the family to prepare for his death. He was refusing
some of the treatment, but also was angry, in pain, and did not
always make sound decisions for his own good. But the hospital is
responsible and they sure made enough money out of his insurance for
keeping him in the ICU, and just leaving him there... Stage IV
wounds, then his condition deteriorated. This, along with Medicaid,
made it near impossible to find him a placement or another hospital
and too ill to come home. So staring at ceilings now for two
years... He went to one Long Term Acute Care for 15 months and to
another one for a few weeks, to a nursing home for a few weeks, and
then they sent him back to this hospital where all of this began.
The nursing home told the family they refused to treat him because
his insurance ran out and they would have to pay out of pocket...
Nightmare experience for him. I have been trying to help out. We are
working together with his insurance and the hospital to get him home
by Christmas. Tons of barriers in the way. Still has stage IV
wounds. Part of the problem is he cannot turn enough to get off his
backside. Sacral and butt wounds the hardest to heal.
The parents will do whatever they can to help, but still very
fearful he will come home to die. We think we can get up to 12 hours
a day of nursing through a waiver program. With the right bed, maybe
this will work. The nursing homes won't take him, and running out of
options. He is only in his early 20's. He is angry....and I don't
blame him. Cool guy- need to push whatever strings left to get him
the best wound care treatment and education of the whole family. His
success will depend on it.
Thanks!
From: John S. <[email protected]>
To: medethics Cvlrights <[email protected]>; [email protected]
Sent: Sun, December 6, 2009 4:19:34 PM
Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Stage IV wounds mattress suggestions?
He needs a low air loss mattress that slowly rolls him side to side.
The adjustments will stop him from rolling too far and it will help
heal his wounds. Ideally, he should be laying face down(I'm thinking
his wounds are on his back side.) When face down the bed can be
adjusted to a reverse trendelemburg, or tilted with his head up. If
the bed won't do that then simply stack boards under the top legs
for some comfort. Be sure the bed can't roll.
Nutrition is very important. Range of motion is a must since it
sounds like he has never had any. He should be seen by a
physiatrist. If he commonly refuses medical advice, then he is
pretty much one infection from dead. There is no wheelchair suitable
for a quad with a stage 4 wound on his buttocks. There are special
gurneys he can use to travel.
Just curious, was he neglected to this point or did he refuse
therapy? He needs about 12 to 20 months of dedicated skin care by
people who can prove they have done this successfully before. The
average nursing home can not help him. He needs a doctor to find a
place to prepare him to go to Craig Rehab Hospital so he can become
a normal quad.
I wish you and him the very best.
john
From: medethics Cvlrights <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sat, December 5, 2009 6:58:50 PM
Subject: [QUAD-L] Stage IV wounds mattress suggestions?
I was looking for a new mattress for my quad friend with stage IV
wounds, unable to turn. His arms are winged into tight contractures
against his chest and he cannot straighten them. It is very
difficult to turn him to his side because his arms wings out and it
is painful. He has been stuck in hospitals, LTAC's, nursing home in
bed for two years, unable to sit in a chair due to the severity of
his wounds. We are bringing him home in a few weeks (hopefully by
Christmas).
It may be the Clinitron bed is paid for by Medicare once he is home.
We were wondering about getting him the recliner chair with an air
mattress on it, and/or one of these type of mattresses for his bed.
Anyone with experience or ideas on what type of mattress may be good
for stage IV wound healing?
http://ucanhealth.com/goto.php?page=alternating_pressure_mattress
