Chapter 302 - Damp, Grey and Cold
I'm up early this morning, some Wii Fit, breakfast and a mug of green tea. She dozes in bed, reading light on, Mills & Boon novel dangling in her hand, surrounded by pillows, her trolley and her commode close to her bed. Somewhen after 4am she called me to help her onto the commode, "I can't feel my feet" she said. She sat on the side of the bed, her feet dangling, unable to "find" her feet to place weight on them; she was simply unable to stand to swivel her bottom 90 degrees to sit on the commode. I waited then helped her back into bed. I dozed off with a bud in my ear listening to BBC news. Must have been about 5am, then 5:45, we repeated the same exercise. I'm sure it was three times, but I'm hazy about it, definitely twice. The last time she pondered whether she needed to use the bathroom toilet; instead she made some noises while on the commode. Last weekend her bowels were loose causing her to visit the toilet a couple of times around 1am. Again at lunchtime on Sunday. She fears an "accident" happening.
I'm unsure how many times she uses the commode after her 10pm meds, usually in bed before then these days. During the day she sometimes needs assistance getting off the toilet, maybe once or twice. She has been bothered daily by stomach pains, wind, and passing "pebbles" as she calls them. On Wednesday while at Dr Flower's receiving her third monthly B12 injection she seemed to have no problems when asked, so I piped up mentioning the stomach pains. Together, she and the doctor concluded that the pains must be due to her long term diverticulitis, although the doctor asked a lot of leading questions. One interesting item arose from the discussion - she would be better served by having her Metamucil laced fruit juice early in the day so that her stomach was not so actively processing the fibre well into the evening, that such will tend to produce full bladder as well. This may explain why she has tended to urinate more frequently after going to bed than during the daytime, a matter that has long puzzled us. Surprising what is learned from a doctor prepared to listen and discuss daily routines.
She has begun to react more normally to the cold weather, sometimes asking me to switch on the heater in the back room. Although last Wednesday about 10pm, meds time, she was sweating without any heating being on.
She frequently begins to panic breathe, snorting through her nose, often times when getting into the vehicle when going out, as last Monday on the way to physio. But also frequently at home should she need assistance to rise from a chair and walk. When her legs are not responding well she fears she is about to fall, so she panics. These events do not last long, at least as far as I can tell by external symptoms. How she feels inside is another matter.
A friend of mine was here recently. He noticed her wobbling and shaking while she was moving about the kitchen. This must have been the first time he noticed her physical instability (he has not often seen her at home and then only when she has been seated). He later wondered to my why the lack of dopamine causes the PWP to tremor when logically the lack of neurotransmitters should cause loss of movement. I tried to explain in layman's terms my understanding, which probably is not correct anyway. The general public, like doctors, tend not to see PWPs acting naturally in their natural environment.
The lift chair was delivered on Wednesday. Having been cautioned that such a chair may trap a person should the power fail while the leg support is raised, I was very pleased to learn that there is a battery backup built in with sufficient capacity to return the chair to a normal position. Saves me thinking about a UPS. Raising her legs on the chair takes away her leg and feet pains, although I had expected her to have her feet raised most of the time. She now has to move to the conventional chair to use the Circulation Booster and the Pedal Machine.
While discussing her general health while at the doctors made me look at her more closely, making me realise how pale, perhaps pasty, her face is. I hope this is only due to our lack of going outdoors. Dr Flower checked that she continues taking Vitamin D supplement, so her appearance was probably noticeable to others. I realise now why all those older than we in this village are rarely seen out of doors; age rather than weather.
She continues on the same meds regime.
I'm unsure how many times she uses the commode after her 10pm meds, usually in bed before then these days. During the day she sometimes needs assistance getting off the toilet, maybe once or twice. She has been bothered daily by stomach pains, wind, and passing "pebbles" as she calls them. On Wednesday while at Dr Flower's receiving her third monthly B12 injection she seemed to have no problems when asked, so I piped up mentioning the stomach pains. Together, she and the doctor concluded that the pains must be due to her long term diverticulitis, although the doctor asked a lot of leading questions. One interesting item arose from the discussion - she would be better served by having her Metamucil laced fruit juice early in the day so that her stomach was not so actively processing the fibre well into the evening, that such will tend to produce full bladder as well. This may explain why she has tended to urinate more frequently after going to bed than during the daytime, a matter that has long puzzled us. Surprising what is learned from a doctor prepared to listen and discuss daily routines.
She has begun to react more normally to the cold weather, sometimes asking me to switch on the heater in the back room. Although last Wednesday about 10pm, meds time, she was sweating without any heating being on.
She frequently begins to panic breathe, snorting through her nose, often times when getting into the vehicle when going out, as last Monday on the way to physio. But also frequently at home should she need assistance to rise from a chair and walk. When her legs are not responding well she fears she is about to fall, so she panics. These events do not last long, at least as far as I can tell by external symptoms. How she feels inside is another matter.
A friend of mine was here recently. He noticed her wobbling and shaking while she was moving about the kitchen. This must have been the first time he noticed her physical instability (he has not often seen her at home and then only when she has been seated). He later wondered to my why the lack of dopamine causes the PWP to tremor when logically the lack of neurotransmitters should cause loss of movement. I tried to explain in layman's terms my understanding, which probably is not correct anyway. The general public, like doctors, tend not to see PWPs acting naturally in their natural environment.
The lift chair was delivered on Wednesday. Having been cautioned that such a chair may trap a person should the power fail while the leg support is raised, I was very pleased to learn that there is a battery backup built in with sufficient capacity to return the chair to a normal position. Saves me thinking about a UPS. Raising her legs on the chair takes away her leg and feet pains, although I had expected her to have her feet raised most of the time. She now has to move to the conventional chair to use the Circulation Booster and the Pedal Machine.
While discussing her general health while at the doctors made me look at her more closely, making me realise how pale, perhaps pasty, her face is. I hope this is only due to our lack of going outdoors. Dr Flower checked that she continues taking Vitamin D supplement, so her appearance was probably noticeable to others. I realise now why all those older than we in this village are rarely seen out of doors; age rather than weather.
She continues on the same meds regime.
posted by Kilpike | 8:55 am
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