8 Summer 2011 Applegater
TRENDS AND OBSERVATIONS
Regret and relief
By Rauno PeRttu
Tips on
Summertime
Sprinkling
with Bob Quinn
Dear Bob Quinn,
We have never had any
problems with our well—plenty
of water for our needs and more
than enough to run a sprinkler
for lawn and garden. A
neighbor tells me that during
warm weather we should run
enough sprinklers to keep the
pump running continuously.
Why should that be?
The first reason is that if
your pump is going on and off
during sprinkling, the power
demand is significantly greater.
This increased demand to
phase the pump in and out can
be as much as 30-40%,
according to the experts.
That translates into a real
dollar cost and wasted power
resources. Just as important is
the fact that such on-off, on-
off cycling also takes its toll
on your pump, and over a
period of time will shorten its
life expectancy.
Both of these costly
conditions can be avoided
simply by turning on
enough
sprinkler
heads to keep the
pump in operation
continually, or install
cycle stop valve.
Look for future
article on cycle
stop valves.
Would You Believe...
Water expands about
9% as it freezes!
Bob Quinn is the owner of Quinn’s
Well & Pump Service located at 6811
Williams Hwy. We provide well drilling,
plus we install, maintain and repair
complete water pumping systems.
Contact our professional staff by phone,
e-mail, or visit our office.
www.quinnswell.com CCB #192047
541-862-9355
One of the cruelest things about the it wasn’t Jan but her disease, I would quickly wet towel, and
slow loss of a loved one to Alzheimer’s is that and ashamedly apologize. She may have got her to sip two
you are forced to grieve a thousand times. forgotten those moments, but I haven’t. glasses of water,
A recent Friday was one of those times. Alzheimer’s also wounds the caregiver. she recovered, as
Since her diagnosis eight years ago,
When I traveled in my work, our if nothing had
I have been able to keep my wife Janice at son Kirk, who lives locally, came over to happened.
I realized how close she had come
home, while working full time. During house-sit and to be a temporary caregiver.
the first years, it was not difficult, and As Jan’s condition continued to deteriorate to dying, and she could as easily have
we continued to share and enjoy many at an accelerating rate, I could see that it wandered out the gate onto our busy
of the things we had enjoyed throughout was becoming difficult for Kirk to provide Upper Applegate Road. She no longer
our earlier years. Our concessions were the necessary level of care that he was notices speeding cars. It was obvious she
few, and Jan’s cheerful nature helped required to perform when I was traveling. couldn’t safely continue to stay at home. I
us to maintain
I planned to bring in took her to the care facility an hour later.
Sunday, I took her to Lithia Park
a hopeful and
an outside caregiver
uring the first years, it was not
positive outlook.
on a part-time basis, for a walk. During the past two years, our
difficult, and we continued to
We thoroughly
progressing to full- hikes have become walks. In the past weeks,
share and enjoy many of the things
e n j o y e d
time. In investigating, her walking had continued to decline.
we had enjoyed throughout our
travel to new
I found the rules for Sadly, this walk through the park turned
earlier years.
destinations and
bringing in qualified into a prod, push and pull ordeal that told
to favorite places,
caregivers wouldn’t me her take-a-walk days have ended. She
and maintained an active outdoor work for me. For example, I had to give was happy to be taken back to the facility,
lifestyle. The whole family kept a several days advance notice before traveling, where she immediately wandered off to
close watch for new treatments and and most of my trips firm up the day before her quickly established new routines. My
potential cures that never came. I leave—sometimes on the same day. concerns on what to do with her caregiving
About three years ago, Jan’s disease
I then reviewed the local care situation had resolved themselves in
progressed to a level where we ended facilities and found an excellent one that the nearly fatal incident on Friday.
I am left with a strange mixture of
our travels. Two years ago, she lost the allowed me to drop off Jan on my way
ability to talk and progressively lost the out of town and to pick her up on my guilt, loss, sadness, relief, and the feeling
ability to care for herself in basic ways. way home. Jan seemed to like the place, that I have just been released from a
As I slowly switched from husband and and other than our missing each other, she confinement that she is accepting with
partner to full-time caregiver, I watched had more to do there, and was reportedly apparent ease. At the point when Jan
the subtlety and spark fade from Jan’s eyes as happy as she was at home. This made wasn’t able to go to restaurants or stores, or
and face, to be replaced by uncertainty and sense because at home, I am working to travel any significant distance without
worry and difficulty,
increasingly difficult attempts to maintain much of the time
I had largely confined
the appearance of normality. She would and couldn’t give
am left with a strange mixture
my activities to
study my face to see if she was acting her my full-time
of guilt, loss, sadness, relief,
work and caregiving
appropriately. It’s painful to write about attention. There,
and
the
feeling
that
i
have
just
been
only. Mixed with
this, because I’m forced to revisit many she has constant
the sadness and
earlier moments when I saw the disease supervision and released from a confinement that
take another piece of Jan, and admired her i n t e r a c t i o n . she is accepting with apparent ease. guilt, I have an
awakening sense of
strength in coping and remaining cheerful, D e s p i t e h e r
coming back to a
when I don’t think I could have been as inability to talk,
strong. However, I hope in this telling I she has made friends with other patients, life I want to enjoy for as long as I
can in a small way help someone whose and the staff is fond of her. Our children, have left. I’m starting to downsize all
loved one is earlier in the progression. friends and work colleagues all told the retirement plans Jan and I made
Those earlier in the process may even me I should place her in the facility together into a one-man act, but I’ve also
get the promised help from a medical full-time, but I remained reluctant. learned what life can do to any plans.
Incidentally, everyone has told me
breakthrough that was too late for Jan. That changed on that fateful Friday.
In my metamorphosis into a
Friday was a typically busy workday. that I shouldn’t feel guilt, but, as anyone
caregiver, initially disgusting cleanups I have projects in several states, and caring for someone they love knows, guilt
became simple matters of washing Jan, spent several hours Friday afternoon comes, however unreasonably, with the
changing her clothes and doing additional in conference calls discussing business territory. I think one basis for that guilt is
laundry. My routine included doing details. When I wrapped up a particularly the knowledge that it’s our loved one, not
a variety of necessary tasks for Jan, long series of calls, I looked for Jan, but us, suffering from the disease. We forget
while carrying on a she was nowhere to be found. After a about ourselves. In reality, Jan, with her
business conversation search inside and outside, I called 9-1-1, limited cognition, seems happy, and I am
on a portable handset. a call I was able to cancel moments later. left to miss her and to regret. One thing
There were moments
When I went out to use the car I do not regret is my decision to place her
when she refused, or to search the nearby roads, I found Jan in the care facility, because she is safer and
didn’t understand, to do slumped down between the driver’s door at least as happy. Mixed with my sadness,
something I considered and the steering wheel. I hadn’t seen her I feel a freedom I haven’t felt in years.
important. I would in the car before because of the way she Eventually, I hope mostly to remember
occasionally lose my was wedged into her spot. She had put our happy times and that wonderful
cool and scold her in her coat on and sat in the closed, stiflingly Jan of yesteryear. With time, I hope my
frustrated anger. She hot car on a warm, sunny day until she regrets will fade into memories of our
would look at me in passed out. Her coat and other clothes exciting life together, and of lasting love.
Rauno Perttu • 541-899-8036
u n c o m p r e h e n d i n g were drenched in sweat. After I removed
jrperttu@charter.net
nervous fright. Realizing her clothes, wiped her down with a cool
D
I
Advertisers ~ Call:
Jackson County
Sally Buttshaw
541-646-8418
Josephine County
Jill Wright
541-324-0950