12 January 2022
Byram thinks the single order Mediplex pads it supplies should last a month even though the scheme uses two a day (so that supply would last two weeks). I stretch it out by using two 6x6 pads at the top of the wound along with one Mediplex. But even that uses two Mediplex a day.
But by using half what I should be, there should be no delay with a reorder. Kaiser Durable Medical Equipment should authorize 80 percent payment through Medicare and Byram should promptly ship.
So when we were down to our last box of 10 Mediplex, I reordered from Byram's Web site on a Sunday night after Christmas and saw the order status was "In Progress." But that's where it has stayed.
Both the order date and the ship date are listed as Jan. 16, a Sunday. We don't have enough Mediplex to get there. And we don't have enough 6x6 pads either, just 20, with is a two-and-a-half-day supply.
And you just know nothing is going to be delivered on a Sunday.
Salwa the LVN said she'd bring some 6x6 pads when she comes today. But this year, the company is trying to keep individual accounts down to 100 visits a year, so our three a week has become two.
How are we going to get from Wednesday to Monday?
One dressing change should be two Mediplex bandages. But it has been one Mediplex and two 6x6s. And it could be four 6x6s with no Mediplex. Those are the options that cover the wound.
But last night I folded the ADP pad in half lengthwise to make it narrower and was able to cover the wound (barely) with two 6x6 pads. I thought it was worth a try overnight at least when Joyce isn't moving around.
She thought it was more comfortable.
It does expose more of her skin, which has become irritated by the adhesives, to air. I use a moisturizer on it and then a powder Dr. Tong used to protect the skin.
We can get 6x6 pads from the in-home nursing company a few at a time. Kevin the RN once brought a case of them, which was a Christmas blessing.
But we can't seem to get Byram to deliver a month's worth of the Mediplex no matter when we order them.
We had both hoped this problem would be mute with Joyce going into the hospital this month for the Integra solution. But the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has shut the hospital down for the time being.
So we still need supplies.