Chapter 189 - Toiling Along

"You're breathless" I said as I helped her off the treadmill. "Yes" was her reply "but my legs feel better." Since her legs have been painful she frequently asks to use the treadmill, as this morning after doing her Wii Fit routines. Only a few minutes on the treadmill, maybe 30 seconds at the slowest speed, after which she cranks up to about 4km/hour for no more than 2 minutes then back down again to very slow then stop. She will not give up with the Hula Hoop on Wii Fit - she holds a broom handle out in front, one end on the floor, while valiantly attempting to rotate her hips. I think she has made 50-60 rotations before the hoops fall, and this morning she had two fall over her body (only Wii people will understand this). She persists. I look forward to the day when she can keep the hoops spinning until the countdown expires.

Yesterday we drove to Blue Hills for a birthday party. Two hours each way in the vehicle, sitting for at least 4 hours except for a couple of trips to the loo caused her lower legs to have sharp fine pain. Even so, she enjoyed the outing. She found the travel uneventful, especially since we took a toll way for part of it rather than take a shorter route, so we were on multi-laned, dual carriageways all the way.

Several days ago I almost committed an unforgivable offense. I was seated in her office chair setting up something on her laptop when she came up behind me to lean on the rear of the chair. She cannot stand for long before needing an object to lean or rest against. Her tremors made the chair wobble. I'm one of those easily irritated by vibration, fingers-tapping-on-tabletops and the like (what a confession from someone that lives with a PD person!). I was on the verge of swiveling the chair back and forth and muttering a curse when I caught myself about to act, realised what I was about to do. A minute or so later she left to do something, then returned to hold the chair again. That time I was expecting to feel the wobble. Later I wondered to myself how I could cope with wobbling coming from inside my own body.

I was with her a few days ago when we both had our routine blood tests. As the nurse was fumbling to insert the needle in her left arm she said "You have to find it in that arm because the right one shakes too much", rather self evident to the casual observer, "try a little further around on that side." The nurse did so and was successful. She has become a skilled, knowledgeable recipient of needles over time, although quite often the professionals resent being given advice about such a simple procedure. When my turn came, tourniquet on my arm, asked to make a fist, quick rub with the cotton wool and jab, I said "See Dear, that's how it's done - so simple." Smart aleck twit.

Chapter 188 - Poor Customer Relations

I had been badgering her to make the appointment for her mammogram tests. She prefers to undergo almost any other form of torture rather than that. So she rang & made the appointment at our salubrious local Public Hospital. Some time later a call came back from Hot Air City (apparently appointments are made through a bureaucratic desk there). "They remembered you from last year and don't wish to experience the same difficulties again, so you will need to come down to Hot Air City where we will do it for you." Now isn't that just so kind and thoughtful of them to compound her fear & embarrassment? Admittedly, last year when her violent tremors threatened to overturn some of the equipment at the local hospital, she was cautioned that should the scans be blurred that she would have to go to Hot Air City to re-experience the trauma. The person in Hot Air City was surprised to be told that the locals had not offered her a seated position during the scanning. So in the middle of the month we drive down there again - 4 times for medical purposes in one month! Fortunately the place is only an hour away. We should have retired there.

Yesterday she had her regular visit to the Caring Physician. He is pleased with her, said "You are much improved since I first saw you." He was the doctor, a non-neurologist, that told her she was over medicated when she had her last panic attack trip to the local hospital, some years ago now. She continues to suffer sharp, needle-like pain in her lower legs. He suggested that the pain may be the result of her last fall from the stool when she damaged her coccyx. Walking and the tread mill alleviates the pain but I suspect she takes more Panodol than she tells me. We plan to take a short trip to my Home Town next month and because of her leg pain I decided we will stop in motels rather than take the van. The Caring Physician obligingly completed the paperwork for her application for a "Medical energy Rebate" from our power supplier. He agrees that she has autonomic difficulties with body temperature regulation due to her PD. When accepted the rebate will allow us $130 per year on our power bill. At this time of the year her hair is always damp, her face is sweaty and she has much difficulty removing & replacing underclothes at time of emergency because her skin is damp and tacky. So when the ambient temperature is too cool for the air conditioner, doors are opened to capture a breeze, fans are blowing air - a small desk fan blows air across our bedroom all night long.

She continues to work furiously on the quilts, yesterday buying metres of batting to complete the jobs. She seems to be sleeping very well now, although I'm not. I realised this morning as I performed my Wii Fit exercises that I am unable to recall the last time I saw her sitting in front of the TV watching one of her favourite music DVDs. She is very proud of her Wii Fit Hula Hoop achievements - until now she has been unable to maintain the hoops aloft, but in the last week she managed about 50 right turning spins but is still a failure for left turning. But that IS progress, and her determination impresses me! Non Wii Fit experienced readers will fail to comprehend the foregoing. The combination of Sifrol and Wii Fit exercising has worked miracles for her.