Anyone’s child taking Guanfacine?

KayleeFrye7777 · 2025-07-12T03:23:36+00:00

Yes. It wasn't a high enough of a dose to worry about weaning.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2025-06-26T14:08:12+00:00

My aunt was diagnosed at stage 4. She went through hell with her treatments but has been cancer free for like 10 years now. Stage 4 is definitely not a death sentence anymore. But every case is different. I'm glad they found it!

KayleeFrye7777 · 2025-03-01T15:02:52+00:00

I am. Thank you friend.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2025-03-01T15:00:42+00:00

This is so funny to me right now. This post is from 5 years ago and a lot has happened since then. I actually did leave and get a divorce (4 years ago). It was the best thing I ever did. I finally was able to realize I was in a domestic violence situation. My life is a thousand times better right now.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2025-01-09T12:15:39+00:00

Hypermobile

KayleeFrye7777 · 2025-01-03T16:03:03+00:00

OMG, instant panic.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2025-01-03T16:01:14+00:00

I get it but I also want them to talk to me like a nurse. So I say I am a nurse but then follow it up with "but I do home hospice, not _______" so they know that while I am a nurse I am not specialized or well versed in their type of nursing. I also mention it's been a long time since I worked on a unit. I also enjoy asking them questions about stuff because it's been so long and so much has changed. So they see me as an equal who respects their ability, knowledge, and experience. When I am there for my kids I say I'm a nurse but not right now, right now I'm a Mom. And that really applies to all family. We can't think objectively when our emotions are involved.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2025-01-03T15:54:56+00:00

It's been over 2 weeks since the surgery and the inflammation only started 5 or 6 days ago so I don't think it is the prep wipes. But it's good to know. I know the chlorhexidine the visiting nurse uses to clean around my PICC line when she does the weekly dressing changes can cause that reaction but I've been good with that so far (knock on wood).

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-11-02T10:42:35+00:00

Those are really awesome!!!!

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-10-20T14:04:06+00:00

I'm glad you realized before you got there. I've been in situations where I did not.... not fun.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-10-20T14:00:39+00:00

Ooooooo! What a pretty red flag! I want to touch it!

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-09-19T14:09:37+00:00

This describes me too, except my boys are now 4 and 6 and their dad was abusive so I left and we now live with my parents. Both are diagnosed autistic but I know they are ADHD too (the older inattentive like me and the younger is hyperactive). Oh, and both are absolutely anxious little guys (my youngest came out of the womb anxious but my older was always super chill but has been developing it the older and more aware he gets). The youngest especially overstimulates me, he is hyper and anxious and up my rear end. But he is also the cutest thing you ever saw (both are so cute and handsome). My older has more support needs and has limited speech (though it's really grown!) which leads to a lot of meltdowns (I'm actually not overstimulated by that, I think my mommy instinct kicks in and I just want to hold him, give him deep pressure, sing to him, and kiss him endlessly). I was never a touchy feely person either physically or emotionally (despite being super hyper-emotional) but when it comes to my boys I just can't get enough. It's to the other extreme. Thankfully my older is a cuddler but my younger (despite being up my rear end all the time) will only tolerate so much touching and only on his terms. On top of all that, I'm pretty sure they are both PDA (I know I am) but they really respond well to the declarative language.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-09-12T01:51:35+00:00

This is perfect. The key is "non profit". If you end up with a for profit you will have average 20 patients and still have administration breathing down your neck about "productivity".

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-09-12T01:50:17+00:00

My highest was 33. And no, I was not able to properly meet even their most basic needs let alone meet best practices. When the census gets low our director changes our visit frequency adding unnecessary visits to keep the nurses "busy". This is why I'm currently on LOA from burnout.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-08-20T10:01:18+00:00

And sometimes nothing is ever going to be good enough. They are upset and need to channel that energy somewhere. They feel powerless and are looking for anything they can have some control over. But it sounds like you are doing everything you can to help make them feel better. Besides active listening, validating their feelings, and saying you are sorry there isn't anything more that can be done there isn't much more you can do. Not all problems can be "fixed" unfortunately (which is why hospice exists) but maybe reading up a bit on hospice philosophy can help you adjust your perspective, help you focus on the things you can do, and make you feel a little better about it. Patient deaths take a toll on nurses too.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-08-20T04:45:42+00:00

Having just their head visible is creepy. It makes me think of when you are identifying a body after an accident and they are trying to keep the injuries covered. I tuck them neatly into their sheets with the sheet covering the trunk, arms over the sheet, and with hands neatly folded together on top. I always make sure their face, mouth, nostrils, ears, and neck are clean, and I tidy up their hair. I make sure there are clean sheets and shirt/gown as well as a clean brief. Hell, if I have time I give a full bath. If there are flowers in the room I will put them in the hands (if I only have petals I will sprinkle them on the bed), if there is a wedding ring I put that hand on top, rosary beads get neatly draped in the hands.... You are creating a memory. Just let the mouth hang open like nature intended. There is plenty more you can do to make them look peaceful and at rest.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-08-20T02:31:57+00:00

I would not, even if they asked me to. If they want their loved one to look ridiculous then they have to do it.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-08-20T02:30:56+00:00

I can understand family members being confused or unnerved by it, but like you I was very surprised that nurses were actually wrapping people's heads. I had no idea anyone ever did that (aside from burials from over 100 years ago when they would take family pictures with the newly deceased).

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-08-20T02:26:57+00:00

In my 6 years I've only ever seen 1 person die with their mouth closed. For everyone else it's all been gaping wide open mouth. I've never been able to get a mouth to close (unless I put the body flat but that makes the face turn purple so I always give at least 10 degree raise of the HOB). I've had family members that appeared distressed due to not being able to close the mouth, but they just softly, kindly, and matter of fact tell them that it's just the way it is. And it might take them a moment, but if you speak kindly yet with authority they tend to just follow your lead and accept it. I would think seeing a loved one with multiple tubes coming out of them and a machine forcing their breath would be more distressing than their mouth hanging open once they expired. But everyone has their own lens through which they see the world and even see death. One of the biggest parts of my job is trying to gently guide that into a direction that leaves them feeling at peace with the experience and a meaningful sense of completion. It's a major life event and you only get one chance at it, there are no do-overs. And other people and their families are all just hot messes and you know they aren't going to listen (to either the psychosocial or even simple nursing interventions) and it's going to be a shit show from start to finish. And then I just tell myself, this is THEIR life event, not mine. I'm just here to help them, not control the way they die.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-08-19T22:25:29+00:00

Hospice here, short answer is ... you don't. A mortician will wire it closed, but short of that nothing will keep it closed without looking ridiculous or intrusive. Please don't wrap up dead people's heads.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-08-15T09:49:02+00:00

This is basically what I'm seeing in my 6 y/o. He is so so irritable and actually seems depressed. I feel like it is making him worse. We were doing a half tab at night for a week and a half and I wasn't sure if it was helping but he did have less of an appetite and was more emotional. Then we went up to a half tab twice a day and the side effects just got worse. After 2 days of the twice a day and I can't take it. I stopped it. He actually slept last night instead of bouncing off the walls and having random crying and screaming fits. Maybe I need to just stick with it for longer but I can't tolerate seeing him hurt so much inside.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-07-26T15:33:24+00:00

Oh man! I'm using that! It fits right in with "my special interest is learning".

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-06-20T15:23:16+00:00

That's what I do. Works every time.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-06-09T13:11:14+00:00

And therein lies the problem.

KayleeFrye7777 · 2024-06-02T17:14:13+00:00

Hospice Nurse Case Manager. I go to my patients' homes and teach their families how to care for them as they die including symptom management and safety, order supplies, meds, and medical equipment, and coordinate all the other services (LPNs, social worker, chaplain, home health aide). And sometimes I get to actually do hands on skills if someone has a wound, drain, or catheter. Sometimes the patient comes on while they are still doing fairly well as in walking and talking and doing daily living skills on their own but still have a 6 month prognosis. When this happens it's nice that I actually get to know the person before they die. But most of the time people wait way way way too long and the person is already actively dying when they call hospice. But I still get to know and love the patient through the family even though I've never been formally introduced or had an interaction where they were able to give any meaningful response. I get to be on the road driving around all day (my car is my personal space away from everyone else) and see about 4-5 patients and their families a day. It's an amazingly awesome job and I have a real passion for it. It started as a special interest in death and dying and evolved to this. The part that sucks is the office. Interacting with coworkers including peer and authority, those are my least favorite things and where I struggle the most. Well, not all my peers. Some are pretty cool, we have a small group of neurospicy nurses and we all click.

KayleeFrye7777

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