Progression Two

Occasional notes in the life of a Parkinson patient & her carer.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Chapter 223 - Musical Pills

I am forever surprised at how much I forget, how events & activities simply disappear into the fog. Last Sunday I wrote that she had only got up once during the previous night. On Monday I began taking notes in my little book again, mainly to be able to quote "facts" to our doctor. I find that others believe me more when I quote from a piece of paper than from memory. Because from 2250 Monday night through to 0830 on Tuesday she had to go to the loo 8 times and her painful legs were crippling her. Same for the next night. I measured a couple of her voidings at 100mL and 150mL so it was obvious that she had an urgency problem and was not passing what I presume should be normally 300 - 500 mL. Since the nation was celebrating an extended memorial weekend when Friday, Monday & Tuesday were public holidays, we were unable to make an appointment to see the doctor until Wednesday. And then our doctor was booked until the following Wednesday, so we opted to see a new doctor to the clinic. He was from the Sub-continent. I was impressed by him; he asked questions, made comments, kept up a dialogue with us. He came to the conclusion that she had an "irritated bladder", and unbeknown to him, she had had a minor operation for that when we were over West 12 years ago. He was about to prescribe Ditropan for her but when I queried about possible issues with her Parky meds, he decided to involve our normal doctor. He left his room, returned because the other was with a patient, then left again to return with our usual. They chattered away in medico techno-speak coming to the conclusion that another urine test was needed. She had brought one so we walked around to the pathologists, 200 meters or so, up a slight gradient. I tend to walk quickly, I had to slow down because she was out of breath by halfway there. She is now encouraged to use the ping pong ball breathing exerciser she was given the time she was in hospital with her kidney problem. "The results will be back tomorrow afternoon" the girl said.

That was Wednesday. Thursday afternoon I bullied her to ting the medical centre; no results. Again Friday morning at 0830. Nothing, so she made an appointment anyway to see the new doctor at noon. She showered, needing help with drying & dressing. At 0900 the phone rang. I picked up the bedroom phone. The friendly & helpful doctor's receptionist (her mum also has PD) said our normal doctor had a cancellation for 0930, could we make it? "Well" I replied "I am in the middle of helping to put on her bra." "That should be fun." "It was when I was much younger" I replied. When we entered the medical centre I quipped "Well we made it but her bra is on back to front." The doctor had to ring for the results which showed that she still had e. coli in her piddle. Another anti-biotic was prescribed. I queried whether the Crestor he had prescribed for her high cholesterol levels may be causing her extreme pain in her legs (I had researched the stuff to learn it was another statin) as had Lipitor except in her hands a year or two ago. He agreed to her stopping the Crestor for a week to see if the pain is relieved. He then decided she should try cranberry juice or tablets as a preventive of UTI. Then he prescribed Vagifem pessiaries as well. Off to the chemist.

Yesterday, that was Saturday, she seemed better. Perhaps less leg pain. Last night she only went to the loo at about 0100 and 0600 which is great except she now has the trots so whether that is due to the different anti-biotic or the cranberry pills (expensive little things they are) we have no idea. She will discontinue the cranberry pills for the time being. She is yet to insert the Vagifem where they will do most good.

During the week her brother-in-law had successful open heart surgery, a friend rang to say he has a "mass" at the bottom of his esophagus and shadows on his liver, another friend in Cane Toad Country has been given a date in June for breast surgery.

This past week she has spent her functional time making herself some satin slinking night dresses as well as some embroidery on another calendar. I removed the MDF ramp constructed last weekend to raise the head end of her mattress - it was not helping very much raise her head so that she could lay on her back more easily; she has found extra pillows are enough.

At the moment, we think we may head south next weekend.

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