Chapter 294 - Muddling Along
Today was Physio at 2:30pm at the local hospital; as I was putting on shoes in readiness she said she may not go, she was trembling a lot, her steps were shuffles as she went to the bathroom, at my coercion she said "Give me 10 minutes"; this at about 2:15pm. By 2:30pm she decided she was not up to it, so I passed her the diary with the phone number in it to let Physio know while I walked to the hall for our mail.
One afternoon last week we intended to attend a musical event at our hall; shortly before we were to go there she decided she was incapable, so I went on my own.
At her appointment with Dr Flower at 10:15 last Tuesday (running some 20 minutes late) she was in reasonable condition seeing that her meds had been taken at 10am. Her blood test indicated that everything was fine except that her Vitamin D and B12 levels were down; the advice was to take two rather than only one Vitamin D each day and a prescription was written for Vitamin 12 ampules, to be injected once each month for 6 months after which another blood test will be made. It seems Vitamin B12 does not survive oral intake. She has her first injection at 10am tomorrow.
From time to time she mentions that her throat is congested although there is no coughing. About 1pm last Thursday her throat thickened to the extent that she said she had difficulty breathing, I gave her an ice cream which seemed to help.
Last Friday she progressed to Week 5 of her schedule.
I conducted another "speed trial" yesterday, Sunday, although my other activities caused me to forget a few hourly measurements. Again, the same return trip from back door to front pushing her trolley.
0910 28.84
1000 29.60
1200 31.62
1300 36.94 - she mentioned that her feet were tingling
1450 30.35
1605 28.62 - feet continue to tingle
1755 1.00.63 - yes, more than a minute and she dragged her right foot without lifting it; she said the experience was scary.
1910 27.96
Last night we went to bed before 10pm. Without her knowledge, I turned on the room thermostat to 25C because the room was rather chilly, my intention being to warm the room until we were in bed to watch old episodes of "Heart Beat". Almost immediately she detected the infra red heat from the ceiling (I didn't) and within 15 minutes her cheeks were flushed and she asked me to turn off the heating; I did so.
Most nights now she needs my help once or twice to sit on the commode, which is wheeled to a position beside her bed each night, right where she gets out of bed. There is no need for her to take a step, simply stand and swivel her bottom into position, yet she is unable to do so.
She usually sleeps with firm pillows beneath or between her legs, usually one or two soft pillows behind her back, sometimes of a morning I discover her head at the foot end of the bed. She asked me to position a small reading lamp from her sewing room onto her bed end so that she has better light to read her Mills & Boons by during the early dark hours. She is concerned the light may keep me awake; it doesn't.
During the day we usually don't use any heating, although the weather is decidedly cooler (-7C at 6am a week ago) yet she often has no need of extra clothing. For instance, today I'm wearing a thick shirt with a fleecy vest over the top and corduroy trousers whereas she has on light slacks and a summer weight blouse.
Although she continues to have tingling within her legs, a few days ago she commented that the feelings extended only half way up her calves, although at other times the tingling extends to her hip area.
She continues to be busy with a quilt for her "sheltered workshop" and has been stitching some designs as well. Last Wednesday, we met the Uglies at the club up the 4 lane, had an enjoyable day, and the quilt for the newly arrived was given to its grandmother.
One afternoon last week we intended to attend a musical event at our hall; shortly before we were to go there she decided she was incapable, so I went on my own.
At her appointment with Dr Flower at 10:15 last Tuesday (running some 20 minutes late) she was in reasonable condition seeing that her meds had been taken at 10am. Her blood test indicated that everything was fine except that her Vitamin D and B12 levels were down; the advice was to take two rather than only one Vitamin D each day and a prescription was written for Vitamin 12 ampules, to be injected once each month for 6 months after which another blood test will be made. It seems Vitamin B12 does not survive oral intake. She has her first injection at 10am tomorrow.
From time to time she mentions that her throat is congested although there is no coughing. About 1pm last Thursday her throat thickened to the extent that she said she had difficulty breathing, I gave her an ice cream which seemed to help.
Last Friday she progressed to Week 5 of her schedule.
| WEEK 5 Commencing Friday 17th May 2013 | ||||||||
| Friday 17th | Actual Time | |||||||
| 06:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1 | |||
| 09:00 | Vit C 2x500 | Mag 500 | ||||||
| 10:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | ||||||
| 14:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 0.75 | |||||
| 18:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1 | ||||
| 22:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1 | ||||
| Panamax 500 | Panadeine 500/8 |
I conducted another "speed trial" yesterday, Sunday, although my other activities caused me to forget a few hourly measurements. Again, the same return trip from back door to front pushing her trolley.
0910 28.84
1000 29.60
1200 31.62
1300 36.94 - she mentioned that her feet were tingling
1450 30.35
1605 28.62 - feet continue to tingle
1755 1.00.63 - yes, more than a minute and she dragged her right foot without lifting it; she said the experience was scary.
1910 27.96
Last night we went to bed before 10pm. Without her knowledge, I turned on the room thermostat to 25C because the room was rather chilly, my intention being to warm the room until we were in bed to watch old episodes of "Heart Beat". Almost immediately she detected the infra red heat from the ceiling (I didn't) and within 15 minutes her cheeks were flushed and she asked me to turn off the heating; I did so.
Most nights now she needs my help once or twice to sit on the commode, which is wheeled to a position beside her bed each night, right where she gets out of bed. There is no need for her to take a step, simply stand and swivel her bottom into position, yet she is unable to do so.
She usually sleeps with firm pillows beneath or between her legs, usually one or two soft pillows behind her back, sometimes of a morning I discover her head at the foot end of the bed. She asked me to position a small reading lamp from her sewing room onto her bed end so that she has better light to read her Mills & Boons by during the early dark hours. She is concerned the light may keep me awake; it doesn't.
During the day we usually don't use any heating, although the weather is decidedly cooler (-7C at 6am a week ago) yet she often has no need of extra clothing. For instance, today I'm wearing a thick shirt with a fleecy vest over the top and corduroy trousers whereas she has on light slacks and a summer weight blouse.
Although she continues to have tingling within her legs, a few days ago she commented that the feelings extended only half way up her calves, although at other times the tingling extends to her hip area.
She continues to be busy with a quilt for her "sheltered workshop" and has been stitching some designs as well. Last Wednesday, we met the Uglies at the club up the 4 lane, had an enjoyable day, and the quilt for the newly arrived was given to its grandmother.
posted by Kilpike | 4:12 pm
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