Any Suggestions With Changing Bed Sheets

[rubytuesday]

Again, I am rather new to all this, but find laundry day a nightmare. So I have to set changing the sheets on a 'good day' which is still quite challenging. I am petite and short. We have a queen sized bed with mattress topper. I buy larger sheets so tugging and pulling isn't as much as an issue but I repeatedly have to go from one corner/side of the bed to the other multiple times, and repeat with each layer of the bedding. By this time I've been on my feet quite a while, bending at the waist while trying to life what I can of the heavy mattress to tuck sheets in with hypotonic arms and legs. I keep water in there with me and have to stop, rest and drink (and it probably looks to DH that the only thing I did today was change a bed). He does try to help when he is here by carrying the laundry from the hamper to the utility room (one less bending down and carrying a load). He helps get dinner as I'm done by that time of day and he does almost all the shopping (I can go short term but never know if it will be successful or if I have to sit right down on the floor if a chair or bench is not close--and I have to go with him).

I can wash a few dishes although it may take me 2-3 stops to hurry to sit, rest before tackling again. I do have a stool I could carry over to sit on for that, but not for changing the sheets. I reward my g-son if I can get him to help with dusting things down low when he comes over and while he'd be eager to help, (he makes his bed if stays all night which I have to touch up) he's not big/strong enough to help me change the sheets. I even have the bed on risers.

How do you all do this?

[songcanary]

Believe it or not, there is a way to make a bed with a patient in it, I did this many times when I did hospice care. This is the same idea only without the patient! Make the bed from the side. After removing all the old bedding, put half the bottom sheet on lengthwise and kind of scrunch the other half up in the middle. Then continue the same with your other sheet and blankets. Go to the other side, unscrunch and finish. Does that make sense? Sometimes my descriptions aren't all that hot LOL.

We are all used to going round and round the bed to make it, but this way eliminates many steps. I've been where you are now. But we all love clean sheets, right? It's so comforting. Your grandson sounds delightful and so does your hubby .

[rubytuesday]

Believe it or not, there is a way to make a bed with a patient in it, I did this many times when I did hospice care. This is the same idea only without the patient! Make the bed from the side. After removing all the old bedding, put half the bottom sheet on lengthwise and kind of scrunch the other half up in the middle. Then continue the same with your other sheet and blankets. Go to the other side, unscrunch and finish. Does that make sense? Sometimes my descriptions aren't all that hot LOL.

We are all used to going round and round the bed to make it, but this way eliminates many steps. I've been where you are now. But we all love clean sheets, right? It's so comforting. Your grandson sounds delightful and so does your hubby .

Yes, that does make sense songcannary. Thanks for the tip. Arthritic hands don't help either. I will have to give it a try. I used to make a lot of hospital beds (sheets) but they're a lot smaller than the queen sized bed, and the mattresses were not nearly as heavy and thick.

[gertie]

Sometimes I will get on my knees to tuck the sheets under the mattress. That keeps me from having to

bend over so much. I strip the bed first & after I recover from that I start replacing the clean sheets.

[Katybug]

I was going to suggest what the others suggested. But, also just want you to know that you're not alone...I feel like I've run a marathon after changing the bed! Also, the stool is one trick. I also like to cook (although I have to be having a really good day to do that anymore), so, I have learned to sit at the kitchen table and do all my prep there and then taking the stool to the stove so I can sit as much as possible during the process. I also try to break these tasks up..for example, I might strip the bed and then go rest for a while before I get sick from it. Then, I go back later to put on clean sheets, I might rest again before I do blankets, and comforter.

[yogini]

I am actually pretty functional, work, go to the gym etc, but I have the same thing with bedsheets. IT wears me out. I do it in stages. like I take off the sheet sin the morning, then at some point in the afternoon, I put on the fitted sheet, then I will throw on the flat sheet later in the day. The bed is rarely made neatly, but such is life with POTS!

[rubytuesday]

I was going to suggest what the others suggested. But, also just want you to know that you're not alone...I feel like I've run a marathon after changing the bed! Also, the stool is one trick. I also like to cook (although I have to be having a really good day to do that anymore), so, I have learned to sit at the kitchen table and do all my prep there and then taking the stool to the stove so I can sit as much as possible during the process. I also try to break these tasks up..for example, I might strip the bed and then go rest for a while before I get sick from it. Then, I go back later to put on clean sheets, I might rest again before I do blankets, and comforter.

Katybug,

I used to like to cook before I couldn't stand and before getting so debilitated happened upon an old telephone stool (from the 1960s?) at a yard sale a year and a half ago. I sure never thought I'd be using it but the $5 was a great investment. I try to get out everything I am going to need, rest, prep what I can while seated ahead of time, rest, but now since I get these spells and heated so easily/quickly I am gun-shy of even sitting/stirring over a burner (even moreso if the oven is on). That would be a bad place to pass out.

We have a footboard on the end of the bed and I usually roll the down comforter and spread over the end of the footboard, but then it is quite a bit of weight since they are rolled up together and I like to make sure the sides hang evenly and the blanket/spread are pulled up high enough. I do have to keep a cold water in there and sometimes just have to lie across the bed to finish. I'm afraid if I don't do it then that I'll forget with the cognitive issues.

When we moved into this house it was more handicapped accessible (DH has health issues, but I never thought I would be needing to advantage the features so soon). But the house is bigger--longer walk to bedroom and from bedroom to utility room and repeated trips (especially on the water pill days or the bathroom days from the IBS) just wear me out, so I try to limit my trips as best I can.

My family always enjoyed my cooking and things I would bring to carry-ins. I worked the polls a year ago--and this year dodged the phone in fears they would call to ask and I would have to admit that I was not able. Christmas dinner is going to be plain and simple. It will be things I can do in stages and won't need a lot of baby sitting over with stirring very long and if I time things right, DH can drain the potatoes and take meat out of the oven. I'll make my pies (try to) the day before so I am not constantly bending into hot oven and being hit in face with the heat. I miss cooking and gathering in the kitchen helping at family dinners elsewhere.

My DHs sister is having huge family Thanksgiving Sat. and his family are not aware of my medical problems. I look okay on the outside. I did explain things to sister-in-law. One of DH's nieces was at his brother's house recently when I was changing the sheets on his bed. Hospice had brought in a hospital bed for himearlier in the morning and I'd helped them to move him to that bed. His poor wife was exhausted and had been sleeping on a love seat for two nights/getting up to give him his pain medications around the clock. I had stripped their king sized bed and carried it to laundry room--all the bedding but she insisted she would wash. I had DH take me back over that evening so that I could put the sheets/bedding back on. He insisted that she'd already would have done that but with so much company I didn't think she could have. She hadn't got to it yet and I just wanted her to be able to get into jammies and crash in her bed once the last of the company left. I took my bottle of water with me and had to stop so many times to sit and drink. The bottom sheet was too small. The blankets were warm out of the dryer and heavy and the room was warm. I was sweating buckets and knew I was in trouble. I just finished (obstinate) and was sitting/drinking when brother-in-laws wife walked in, saw how pale I was and checked the BP 62/41. My sister-in-law got all excited as I kept mutterring, 'I'm alright' and she yelled--'you're dead' (as she reiterated my BP). So DH, his niece and sister-in-law have some inkling but had to tell DH's sister that I would be glad to help if she can set me up w/ a stool and away from the heat. I know the long ride down and the sitting, the blood is going to be pooling. Then there is the no salt for me (how do you find that kind of food on a Thanksgiving banquet?). I know this body is going to be playing tricks on me and I am going to be paying the price.

I've never been like this in my life. Thank you for listenting, and for the suggestions and support.

[blueskies]

Hi rubytuesday,

I was watching Dr Oz the other day and he said it's best not to tuck our top sheet in. I can't remember his reason. Because of memory problems caused by brain fog (I hope that's what is causing the memory problems). It makes part of making the bed easier, at any rate.

I now have to sleep with only light blankets over me as I run hot. My skin is nearly always hot. Unless it has an occasional freezing spell. So I gave up using heavy comforters in winter years ago. They were a huge struggle for me especially lifting my arms up to lay it over the bed. It's summer now here in Austalia and I'm down to a sheet covering me although because I have the fan on every night hubby has blankets on his side of the bed.

Like someone else said, I strip the bed on laundry day in one go but I usually make it up slowly -- in stages. Unless I'm having a good day and then I'm good for doing the whole thing. On a bad day I'm not doing laundry.

I must admit Ilve learned to live in 'grubbier' sheets. They often only get changed every fortnight instead of weekly.

I was just thinking, due to nearly always feeling too hot - my signature line shoud be 'what I wouldn't give for airconditioning.'

blue.

[janiedelite]

Good thinking, Blue... I use down comforters for bedding because they are lighter to manipulate.

[rubytuesday]

Hi rubytuesday,

I was watching Dr Oz the other day and he said it's best not to tuck our top sheet in. I can't remember his reason. Because of memory problems caused by brain fog (I hope that's what is causing the memory problems). It makes part of making the bed easier, at any rate.

I now have to sleep with only light blankets over me as I run hot. My skin is nearly always hot. Unless it has an occasional freezing spell. So I gave up using heavy comforters in winter years ago. They were a huge struggle for me especially lifting my arms up to lay it over the bed. It's summer now here in Austalia and I'm down to a sheet covering me although because I have the fan on every night hubby has blankets on his side of the bed.

Like someone else said, I strip the bed on laundry day in one go but I usually make it up slowly -- in stages. Unless I'm having a good day and then I'm good for doing the whole thing. On a bad day I'm not doing laundry.

I must admit Ilve learned to live in 'grubbier' sheets. They often only get changed every fortnight instead of weekly.

I was just thinking, due to nearly always feeling too hot - my signature line shoud be 'what I wouldn't give for airconditioning.'

blue.

Blue,

I too cannot tackle laundry on a bad day unless I've got somebody to help at least get the stuff from hamper into washer. Then I just have to pace what I can do--sorting clothes/folding clothes while laying on bed. Sometimes clothes may he laid out, shirts hung on bedpost, jeans laid straight but don't get put up til way later.

I do use down comforter as it is lighter but DH is a freezer and I cannot tol heat and am always throwing my blankets on him. I put comforter on bed for decoration and he pulls it up/uses it to, over his shoulder and part of his head (and he puts off a lot of heat). He says he's cold but he sweats. He has restless legs so if I didn't tuck in bottom sheet (which he hates bottom sheet tucked in) I would have a harder task of making the bed in the morning. He's been good (most of time) to 'make' the bed before he goes to work although I always have to go straighten it up/flip pillows and even things out. I'm afraid I would have to totally pull off all the covers to get the top sheet back in place with his restless legs, us both tossing and turning all night and me kicking blankets over on to him.

When I was going through menopause with terrible hot flashes he literally would sit in his chair watching TV at night wearing his winter coat, complaining that it was freezing (when it was 67 degrees in the house). I don't suffer those but now I cannot tolerate heat at all and he still doesn't get it. I hate to have to sleep in seperate bedroom after 35 years of marriage (plus then I would have 2 beds to make and 2 sets of sheets to change).

It is worth at least a try to see how it would go without tucking that top sheet in. Hopefully it works. I am wondering though, how do you keep the bottom of the top sheet from riding up with the down blanket and comforter when you pull them up to adjust them to proper position?

[yogini]

You have to balance being helpful to others and taking care of yourself. Maybe you can find a way to hlp that isn't so taxing on your health. In terms of cooking, etc., just do what you can. You'd be surprised - even moral support is nice. I know it means a lot to me having POTS, even when people don't physically do anything to help.

[sue1234]

Since changing sheets is very taxing on you, why not make it a duty that both you and your husband always do together? Let that be 'takeout' night, so he doesn't need to cook. If you can manage to wash and then dry at some point during the day, you can both put them on in the evening. Occasionally I am able to put my sheets on alone, although I feel like I've run a marathon when I'm done! But, mostly, my husband helps me. I'm like the person above, in that they don't get washed as often as they used to in my "previous life".

I am hot also. I sleep with a BUNCH of lighter layers, like 5!! That way I can peel when needed. I used to use comforters all my life, but now they just hold in the heat like an oven. Also, while I sleep, I have the central air on 66, I have a window unit on 64, and a fan blowing on my on high. I do this even in winter, just I don't turn the heater on.

I loved to cook before POTS, but I don't do it now. Even on days that I think I could stand for a little while, I am also afraid of the heat and fainting. I am afraid of having the burners on and me all the sudden not able to tend to it. So, I might help cook when my husband occasionally does, but not by myself.

[tinkerbella]

with my new port I have to keep my bed clean, clean ,clean!!!!! I bought some new sheets queen sized, but they were not deep pocketed. The colors + prices were great so I hate top sheets anyway, so I laid the to sheet sideways and easily tucked it on each side. NOT at top or bottom. I also have many layers of comforters and light weight quilted blankets, along with heated mattress pad. I freeze @ night without it and my little dog under the sheets. lol Then he gets up so I won't get up and sleep walk and faint ~.

Cook, crock pot, toaster oven, George Forman grill, mircowave oven + try to freeze stuff in small amounts to make my meals easier.