During the COVID-19 Pandemic, I gained first hand knowledge about being a caregiver.  I was thrust into a whole new world, with my 87 year old Mother. My mother had some underlying health conditions: diabetes, COPD and hypertension and became ill and was hospitalized with pancreatitis.  She had a 14 day stay in the hospital.  It was very hard due to the pandemic I could not visit her while she was there.  Along with the other conditions she had tested positive for the Corona Virus.  After returning to her home, she was not the same independent woman that she had been.  That woman was able to dress herself, get snacks from the refrigerator and take a shower on her own. She could barely stand or walk on her own, let alone prepare any meals or dress herself, not to mention the bed sores that she had. 

I had to learn very fast about taking care of her physical, nutritional and health care needs.  I  wore many hats;  physical: helping her get into and out of bed, changing her soiled briefs and helping into the shower; dietary: made 3-4 meals every day; medical:took blood sugar twice daily, administered her daily meds, took and recorded vitals - blood pressure, temperature, pulse and weight, laundress (changed her soiled bed linens, and sanitized her room, talking with her doctor and visiting nurse as well as the physical therapist.     

My materials that I had on Care giving and those that I received from Dr. JoAnne Bankston would prove to be instrumental in the quality of care I was able to provide for my Mother during this time. My background in nutrition proved helpful as I prepared 3-4 small meals for her daily.  The meals consisted of small portion sizes using the MyPlate for diabetics guidelines.  I am glad to report that after two to three weeks of tender loving care, My Mother is able to get into and out of bed with little to no assistance, walk with the use of a rollator, get into and out of the shower with some assistance, feed herself, and at times can be caught making a "Midnight Munchier" walk to raid the refrigerator.   She has gained her self confidence about her independence, and is on the road to full recovery.  She was retested for the corona virus and it came back negative, so she is now among the statistics of COVID-19 recovered Kentuckians.