Chapter 156 - Life Ambles Along
Two weeks have gone by so lacking notes I am hard pressed to comment on her progression. We decided she would stay home on her own the Friday after my eye operation, for on that day I had to return to Big Smoke for a check-up. I drove to the station to catch the train. I rang her at various points along the way -arrival at the station, Big Smoke, the specialist's etc. By so doing she did not worry that I may have missed a connection and I knew that she was well. This was the first time that I can remember that we have been apart for more than 2 hours in many years. Before leaving I assembled her collapsible walker so that she was able to walk around to her friend's place where she had been invited to spend part of the afternoon.
Wednesday last week was her final routine visit to the Procedures room for her leg dressing. When the surgeon saw the crater in her leg he was pleased to say that "we have got there". It is in the eye of the beholder because the wound remains unsightly to me. Each day now she leaves the wound uncovered, only attaching a light dressing when she goes to bed or when we leave the house.
She has been suffering what I think others have called the "sundown" effect of Sifrol, a wearing off, sleep inducing period late each afternoon. I'm not sure that she has been sleepy so much as shaky and ill-at-ease both in late morning after 10 and late afternoon after 4. She had decided to throw some additional Sinemet into her regimen but needed a prescription. Our GP (no neurologists these days as I have commented before) did not think much of that idea so suggested she take 500mg of Sifrol 4 times a day rather that 3. For her own reasons she does not think much of that idea so instead has decided to reposition the Inderal she has been taking for years, originally prescribed to minimise leg tremor. So as from yesterday she now takes: at 6am 500mg Sifrol 1 Sinemet CR; 9am 1 Inderal; 12 noon 500mg Sifrol 1 Sinemet CR, 4pm 1 Inderal 1 Astrix, 6pm 500mg Sifrol 1 Sinemet CR, 12 mid 1 CR. She told me that the tremors had reduced in late morning and afternoon but "she still felt the same inside".
Each day she has embroidered commercial designs on her machine. I don't think she intends to do anything with the completed designs, executed on felt, although some are quite suitable for framing. The activity is good therapy for her. I am hoping the activity will lead to some "projects". Around Xmas she embroidered designs which she fitted into cards which were mailed to a select few. Some Philistines failed to realise that she had crafted the cards herself and in some cases that embroidery was involved. Says something about the value of the social habit of flooding the mail system with cards.
An elderly friend from the PD Support Group rang yesterday seeking to borrow our book on panic attacks. Our copy is loaned as is the copy we obtained for the Group. I suspect quite a number of PWP's suffer this way, unaware that these feelings of discomfort, dread and imminent death are to a large extent treatable side effects of PD. This particular lady has also been helped by the physio recommended by us.
Wednesday last week was her final routine visit to the Procedures room for her leg dressing. When the surgeon saw the crater in her leg he was pleased to say that "we have got there". It is in the eye of the beholder because the wound remains unsightly to me. Each day now she leaves the wound uncovered, only attaching a light dressing when she goes to bed or when we leave the house.
She has been suffering what I think others have called the "sundown" effect of Sifrol, a wearing off, sleep inducing period late each afternoon. I'm not sure that she has been sleepy so much as shaky and ill-at-ease both in late morning after 10 and late afternoon after 4. She had decided to throw some additional Sinemet into her regimen but needed a prescription. Our GP (no neurologists these days as I have commented before) did not think much of that idea so suggested she take 500mg of Sifrol 4 times a day rather that 3. For her own reasons she does not think much of that idea so instead has decided to reposition the Inderal she has been taking for years, originally prescribed to minimise leg tremor. So as from yesterday she now takes: at 6am 500mg Sifrol 1 Sinemet CR; 9am 1 Inderal; 12 noon 500mg Sifrol 1 Sinemet CR, 4pm 1 Inderal 1 Astrix, 6pm 500mg Sifrol 1 Sinemet CR, 12 mid 1 CR. She told me that the tremors had reduced in late morning and afternoon but "she still felt the same inside".
Each day she has embroidered commercial designs on her machine. I don't think she intends to do anything with the completed designs, executed on felt, although some are quite suitable for framing. The activity is good therapy for her. I am hoping the activity will lead to some "projects". Around Xmas she embroidered designs which she fitted into cards which were mailed to a select few. Some Philistines failed to realise that she had crafted the cards herself and in some cases that embroidery was involved. Says something about the value of the social habit of flooding the mail system with cards.
An elderly friend from the PD Support Group rang yesterday seeking to borrow our book on panic attacks. Our copy is loaned as is the copy we obtained for the Group. I suspect quite a number of PWP's suffer this way, unaware that these feelings of discomfort, dread and imminent death are to a large extent treatable side effects of PD. This particular lady has also been helped by the physio recommended by us.
posted by Kilpike | 6:55 am
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