Chapter 300 - Non-responsive Communications
We had hoped to attend the monthly meeting of the PD group in Hot Air City this past week but I never received a reply to my emails asking whether one of their members was using apomorphine (I believe there is at least one) and was prepared to talk to us about the experience. Having received no response, not even a "yes" or "no", I did not wish to organise her to leave our town at a time when we usually rise each day just to arrive mid-morning on the off-chance there was someone with whom to discuss the medication. For all its benefits, I am beginning to suspect that apomorphine is a closet medication. Surely there must be a PWP somewhere able to sing its praises?
Our Monday being a wet day so the effort of having to walk quite a distance to reach the physio centre while building alterations are in progress discouraged her from attending. Fortunately, recent comments from Dr Flower and others of the benefits of leg motion to improve circulation in the legs, joint lubrication has encouraged her to make more use of the pedal machine. She saw Dr Flower on Monday for her second B12 injection.
Tuesday was respite Day once again. She is becoming disillusioned with the place because fewer attendees are wishing to do crafts and activities other than playing bingo, for which the winners are awarded supermarket items that have expired their "use by" dates. And the items she has made for the "for sale" stall are being sold for rock-bottom prices, many of the raw materials supplied from her own stock. I still think her associating with somewhat demented older farts and the staff is beneficial for her. We seem to be socialising so little these days.
Her regular visit to her chiropodist was on Thursday. She went prepared to ask his opinion about her feet pains, tightness and numbness because the upper surface of her feet show just the slightest blue-ish colour. He was concerned enough to use some sort of audio monitor (I was not present) to listen to the blood flow in her legs and feet and also brushed her feet with a device while her eyes were closed to determine the touch sensitivity of her feet. He was unable to detect any problems with her feet. She must have mentioned apomorphine to him because on the way out her handed her a general knowledge article from a site after he saw the drug described in a TV programme. A helpful considerate bloke.
On Friday she began the next change in her schedule increasing her dosage of Sifrol to 3x 1.5mg per day, the maximum dose. We have to be told what changes, if any, are to be made at the end of this coming week. Interestingly, by mid-afternoon on Friday she was wobbling all over the place. Weaving her upper body from side to side while sitting in her TV chair, almost dancing when she stood up. Suspecting that day's Sifrol change at 2pm may have induced the wobbling, I asked her when the dyskinesia (that is what I suppose it was) began; she was unsure, but thought before 2pm, the time she was to increase the Sifrol from 1.25 to 1.5mg. So perhaps it was not simply the Sifrol increase.
On that same Friday, a grey damp mildish winter day our house with no heating switched on was slightly chilly. I in my dungeon was sitting next to a heater. About 5pm she called me on the CB asking for a fan. Rather puzzled, I went to see her, finding her face flushed and her blouse damp from sweat; she needed her cardigan removed. I brought the small fan from her sewing room and placed it on the floor to blow air on her. I think she asked me to switch the fan off about 7pm and then she sat in her TV chair and maybe went to her sewing room a few times just in blouse and slacks.
Also on Friday, I was fortunately close at hand, at her 10am meds time, when she began to choke. Thinking the problem was only one of water going down the wrong way, I did not immediately respond, but when her coughing and spluttering continued I banged her on the back a few times without effect; then after more banging and coughing a grey-ish blob went bouncing across the floor - the Sinemet 200/25 she had attempted to swallow. Although that tablet lacks a scribe line, she is now cutting them in half. I noticed on-line that the 250/25 can be supplied in hockey puck form (that she now takes) or a lozenge shape with a scribe line. Next time I'm at the chemist I will request the latter, or failing that, ask whether cutting the former is permitted. Meanwhile, I try to remember to be close by at pill times.
Yesterday, Saturday, she became very hot about midday, the weather still cold and damp, no room heating on in the house. She called for help to remover her cardigan. Sometime later she described her feet as stiff and tingling and she removed her feet felt "tight". She described the sensation as banding around her feet, one more than the other. She remained without heating, in blouse and slacks all afternoon until 6.30pm when she she told me she was feeling cold so I switched the small oil heater on in the TV room.
Trying to motivate us to "get out" more beyond attending appointments and shopping, I suggested lunch at the club again today. Perhaps we can make this a Sunday ritual, and when it does some other outing will need to be found. She was quite agreeable. She had a hefty meal of a lamb shank (disgusting to me!) and vegetables, followed by a piece of cheesecake and a chai latte. About 1.40pm she thought she needed the loo, did not wish to use the club's disabled toilets, for she said she would be much more comfortable at home, that is, where she was able to use the bidet, for her bowels were causing her discomfort. Just another example of the hazards when away from the comforts of home. So today there was no opportunity to do some catch-up shopping for the items I forgot last week.
Her schedule for this week:
Our Monday being a wet day so the effort of having to walk quite a distance to reach the physio centre while building alterations are in progress discouraged her from attending. Fortunately, recent comments from Dr Flower and others of the benefits of leg motion to improve circulation in the legs, joint lubrication has encouraged her to make more use of the pedal machine. She saw Dr Flower on Monday for her second B12 injection.
Tuesday was respite Day once again. She is becoming disillusioned with the place because fewer attendees are wishing to do crafts and activities other than playing bingo, for which the winners are awarded supermarket items that have expired their "use by" dates. And the items she has made for the "for sale" stall are being sold for rock-bottom prices, many of the raw materials supplied from her own stock. I still think her associating with somewhat demented older farts and the staff is beneficial for her. We seem to be socialising so little these days.
Her regular visit to her chiropodist was on Thursday. She went prepared to ask his opinion about her feet pains, tightness and numbness because the upper surface of her feet show just the slightest blue-ish colour. He was concerned enough to use some sort of audio monitor (I was not present) to listen to the blood flow in her legs and feet and also brushed her feet with a device while her eyes were closed to determine the touch sensitivity of her feet. He was unable to detect any problems with her feet. She must have mentioned apomorphine to him because on the way out her handed her a general knowledge article from a site after he saw the drug described in a TV programme. A helpful considerate bloke.
On Friday she began the next change in her schedule increasing her dosage of Sifrol to 3x 1.5mg per day, the maximum dose. We have to be told what changes, if any, are to be made at the end of this coming week. Interestingly, by mid-afternoon on Friday she was wobbling all over the place. Weaving her upper body from side to side while sitting in her TV chair, almost dancing when she stood up. Suspecting that day's Sifrol change at 2pm may have induced the wobbling, I asked her when the dyskinesia (that is what I suppose it was) began; she was unsure, but thought before 2pm, the time she was to increase the Sifrol from 1.25 to 1.5mg. So perhaps it was not simply the Sifrol increase.
On that same Friday, a grey damp mildish winter day our house with no heating switched on was slightly chilly. I in my dungeon was sitting next to a heater. About 5pm she called me on the CB asking for a fan. Rather puzzled, I went to see her, finding her face flushed and her blouse damp from sweat; she needed her cardigan removed. I brought the small fan from her sewing room and placed it on the floor to blow air on her. I think she asked me to switch the fan off about 7pm and then she sat in her TV chair and maybe went to her sewing room a few times just in blouse and slacks.
Also on Friday, I was fortunately close at hand, at her 10am meds time, when she began to choke. Thinking the problem was only one of water going down the wrong way, I did not immediately respond, but when her coughing and spluttering continued I banged her on the back a few times without effect; then after more banging and coughing a grey-ish blob went bouncing across the floor - the Sinemet 200/25 she had attempted to swallow. Although that tablet lacks a scribe line, she is now cutting them in half. I noticed on-line that the 250/25 can be supplied in hockey puck form (that she now takes) or a lozenge shape with a scribe line. Next time I'm at the chemist I will request the latter, or failing that, ask whether cutting the former is permitted. Meanwhile, I try to remember to be close by at pill times.
Yesterday, Saturday, she became very hot about midday, the weather still cold and damp, no room heating on in the house. She called for help to remover her cardigan. Sometime later she described her feet as stiff and tingling and she removed her feet felt "tight". She described the sensation as banding around her feet, one more than the other. She remained without heating, in blouse and slacks all afternoon until 6.30pm when she she told me she was feeling cold so I switched the small oil heater on in the TV room.
Trying to motivate us to "get out" more beyond attending appointments and shopping, I suggested lunch at the club again today. Perhaps we can make this a Sunday ritual, and when it does some other outing will need to be found. She was quite agreeable. She had a hefty meal of a lamb shank (disgusting to me!) and vegetables, followed by a piece of cheesecake and a chai latte. About 1.40pm she thought she needed the loo, did not wish to use the club's disabled toilets, for she said she would be much more comfortable at home, that is, where she was able to use the bidet, for her bowels were causing her discomfort. Just another example of the hazards when away from the comforts of home. So today there was no opportunity to do some catch-up shopping for the items I forgot last week.
Her schedule for this week:
| WEEK 11 Commencing Friday 28th June 2013 | ||||||
| Friday 28th | ||||||
| 06:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit D 1x1000 |
| 10:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | ||||
| 14:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit C 2x500 | ||
| 18:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Vit D 1x1000 | ||
| 22:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Mag 500 | |
| Saturday 29th | ||||||
| 06:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit D 1x1000 |
| 10:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | ||||
| 14:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit C 2x500 | ||
| 18:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Vit D 1x1000 | ||
| 22:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Mag 500 | |
| Sunday 30th | ||||||
| 06:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit D 1x1000 |
| 10:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | ||||
| 14:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit C 2x500 | ||
| 18:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Vit D 1x1000 | ||
| 22:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Mag 500 | |
| Monday 1st July | ||||||
| 06:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit D 1x1000 |
| 10:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | ||||
| 14:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit C 2x500 | ||
| 18:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Vit D 1x1000 | ||
| 22:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Mag 500 | |
| Tuesday 2nd | ||||||
| 06:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit D 1x1000 |
| 10:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | ||||
| 14:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit C 2x500 | ||
| 18:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Vit D 1x1000 | ||
| 22:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Mag 500 | |
| Wednesday 3rd | ||||||
| 06:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit D 1x1000 |
| 10:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | ||||
| 14:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit C 2x500 | ||
| 18:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Vit D 1x1000 | ||
| 22:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Mag 500 | |
| Thursday 4th | ||||||
| 06:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit D 1x1000 |
| 10:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | ||||
| 14:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Vit C 2x500 | ||
| 18:00 | Sin 250/25 | Deralin 40 | Comtan 200 | Vit D 1x1000 | ||
| 22:00 | Sin 100/25 | Sin CR 200/50 | Deralin 40 | Sifrol 1.5 | Mag 500 |
posted by Kilpike | 3:31 pm
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