Chapter 301 - A Little Shopping
About noon on Monday, last week, she told me that her "balance was way out of whack". Then at 1pm she said she had mistakenly taken her 2pm meds an hour early; no real explanation why. I think she returned to the schedule at 6pm. We have been advised for her to remain on the current schedule (where she takes 3x1.5mg Sifrol each day) until she next sees the neuro in Hot Air City. By 4pm that same day she complained of itchiness across her lower back; I noticed some redness when I looked. Still itchy the following morning so she applied some anti-itch cream and she has not mentioned the problem since.
On Thursday last week a neighbour called in to reward me with a bottle of red for having helped her husband (has lung cancer) assemble a bathroom towel warmer. She rose from the kitchen table to show the neighbour something in her sewing room, stepped backwards, banging into the wall, almost dislodging some hanging art work frames. She said later that if the wall hadn't been there she would have fallen.
Friday night was very cold and I can't remember whether she said her feet were cold or hot; anyway, I knelt down to feel her feet, the left was so warm it almost glowed whereas the right one was ice cold. I pondered why the right foot was so cold before realising it was the left that was the odd one, even though there was no tremor in either. She had been seated for some time completing her puzzle magazines. Then on Saturday morning she shopped for some fancy wools to knit scarves. She complained that her left foot became very hot and several times she needed to stop pushing her walker while I retrieved her left sock which tended to slip into her show.
She has frequently mentioned that the tingling and pain in her feet and lower legs eases when her feet are raised. She frequently wishes to sit with her feet on pillows; and in bed her feet are pain free while the remainder of her body becomes uncomfortable, thus she is torn between laying down and sitting up. We had noticed a cheap recliner chair in a junk mail magazine so Saturday afternoon we drove to the furniture store on the edge of town, only to find the store had closed an hour earlier. Yesterday while she was at respite I drove back to the furniture store to learn they had a sale on. I inspected the chairs available then said I would return with her next day. Today, after sitting in five chairs, manipulating the controls, she decided on one (not quite the cheapest) which she thought gave her the most support down to her ankles when the leg support was fully extended. The seat squab also tilts to help her rise to a standing position. About an hour before her 2pm meds she surprised me by appearing "not quite with it" in using the controls and I had to prompt her to raise or lower the back, the seat and the leg support. She did not seem dazed, more absent minded. We also briefly looked at a powered bed and she needed to be seated on her walker. Her new chair will be delivered next Wednesday; it's in stock, but the store insists on having the electrics checked before delivery and Tuesday is Respite day.
After leaving the furniture store we stopped at a newsagents to buy her puzzle magazines. She surprised me this week by suggesting she will stop completing the puzzles each week. I don't think that a good idea, for the task exercises her mind and she only sporadically attempts the free Lumosity exercises since she allowed her subscription to lapse. She has been completing those magazine puzzles ever since they first appeared in the newsagents, possibly more that 15 years ago. She says the stories/articles are rubbish now (I had always thought that).
Sunday saw us at the Club from 1030am till 4pm with son and family from Big Smoke. She coped quite well (as far as I could tell). Around 2pm she decided she needed to visit home urgently but I talked her into using the disabled loo at the Club. Afterwards she said she would not have made it home.
About 2.30pm on Monday she said she had that lump feeling back in her throat. She continues to break at least the Sinemet 200/25, maybe others, in order to swallow her meds.
She seemed to enjoy her day at Respite yesterday.
On Thursday last week a neighbour called in to reward me with a bottle of red for having helped her husband (has lung cancer) assemble a bathroom towel warmer. She rose from the kitchen table to show the neighbour something in her sewing room, stepped backwards, banging into the wall, almost dislodging some hanging art work frames. She said later that if the wall hadn't been there she would have fallen.
Friday night was very cold and I can't remember whether she said her feet were cold or hot; anyway, I knelt down to feel her feet, the left was so warm it almost glowed whereas the right one was ice cold. I pondered why the right foot was so cold before realising it was the left that was the odd one, even though there was no tremor in either. She had been seated for some time completing her puzzle magazines. Then on Saturday morning she shopped for some fancy wools to knit scarves. She complained that her left foot became very hot and several times she needed to stop pushing her walker while I retrieved her left sock which tended to slip into her show.
She has frequently mentioned that the tingling and pain in her feet and lower legs eases when her feet are raised. She frequently wishes to sit with her feet on pillows; and in bed her feet are pain free while the remainder of her body becomes uncomfortable, thus she is torn between laying down and sitting up. We had noticed a cheap recliner chair in a junk mail magazine so Saturday afternoon we drove to the furniture store on the edge of town, only to find the store had closed an hour earlier. Yesterday while she was at respite I drove back to the furniture store to learn they had a sale on. I inspected the chairs available then said I would return with her next day. Today, after sitting in five chairs, manipulating the controls, she decided on one (not quite the cheapest) which she thought gave her the most support down to her ankles when the leg support was fully extended. The seat squab also tilts to help her rise to a standing position. About an hour before her 2pm meds she surprised me by appearing "not quite with it" in using the controls and I had to prompt her to raise or lower the back, the seat and the leg support. She did not seem dazed, more absent minded. We also briefly looked at a powered bed and she needed to be seated on her walker. Her new chair will be delivered next Wednesday; it's in stock, but the store insists on having the electrics checked before delivery and Tuesday is Respite day.
After leaving the furniture store we stopped at a newsagents to buy her puzzle magazines. She surprised me this week by suggesting she will stop completing the puzzles each week. I don't think that a good idea, for the task exercises her mind and she only sporadically attempts the free Lumosity exercises since she allowed her subscription to lapse. She has been completing those magazine puzzles ever since they first appeared in the newsagents, possibly more that 15 years ago. She says the stories/articles are rubbish now (I had always thought that).
Sunday saw us at the Club from 1030am till 4pm with son and family from Big Smoke. She coped quite well (as far as I could tell). Around 2pm she decided she needed to visit home urgently but I talked her into using the disabled loo at the Club. Afterwards she said she would not have made it home.
About 2.30pm on Monday she said she had that lump feeling back in her throat. She continues to break at least the Sinemet 200/25, maybe others, in order to swallow her meds.
She seemed to enjoy her day at Respite yesterday.
posted by Kilpike | 3:24 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home