Bummer

I went up to Chiang Mai for a few days of r&r, and came back to find Jip had her first-ever bedsore. This discovery was discouraging, although not completely shocking. The books all say that skin problems are common in people who spend long periods in the same position. So far we’d been fortunate, probably because Jip stays pretty active for somebody with her abilities.

The trouble with bedsores is that they take forever to heal, because by definition they are located where the body meets the bed. If you don’t fix them right the first time, they come back again and again.

Happily, Lek’s sister is a nursing professor (she and Jip trained together, way back when). She taught me and the caregivers a few treatment and prevention tips. I also called another of Jip’s nursing classmates, a woman who has come by to see us pretty regularly. Her specialty happens to be older people, who are more likely to encounter this problem. She knew all about some special water-filled mattress pads. The next day she sent us one through a mutual friend who happens to work where I work.

So we’re still well looked after. When we first contemplated moving to Thailand, my biggest hesitation was that we would be leaving behind the remarkable network of caring friends and family who helped us out in so many ways. I still don’t think we’ll ever duplicate that combination of wisdom and kindness. But perhaps slowly, in a way that works for this setting, a group with similar instincts is beginning to form.