Chapter 336 - A Brighter Day
One of those crisping days in early autumn, a day wished to enjoy for a lifetime, sunny and enlivening. I woke near 3am for my usual nightly excursion, possibly disturbed by her taking her middle of the night Sinemet, thinking I won't be able to return to sleep so counting my breaths - odd numbers breathing in and evens breathing out. Quite positive that sleep escaped me again but on next looking at the T-hub I saw 0550. She woke about 0615 as I was setting up the video camera; problems with finding a compatible SD card then I began taking video of her lying in bed, expecting her feet to be thrashing. They weren't. Used her bed side clock she takes everywhere on her trolley in place of voice-over or later added time stamps, for today's Cecil B. production I intend send to Polly the World Wide Wonder PD nurse who recently queried whether her shaking had reduced. Damned stupid question I thought at the time; if anything leg shakes were more popular than ever!
Doesn't seem that way this morning, so far an occasional odd leg shake, some un-intended finger movements, otherwise calmness. She even seems to be rising from seated positions and shuffling about the house better than recently observed. Just now, 0915, I went to check on her to take another video clip to find her on the loo. Some minutes earlier after drinking grape juice laced with Metamucil, two crumpets covered in margarine and malt extract followed by a cold chai latte (the way she likes it made straight from the foil tubular packet with milk) she developed stomach pains, taking herself to the loo. Her head had been tingling and she felt as if she was about to be sick. Acknowledging that decorum must be observed I refrain from videoing as she sits there in quiet contemplation.
No more catheter replacements!! Last night I replaced her leg bag as well as the overnight bag to avoid infection. I had an accident a few mornings ago; Overnight the leg bag drains into the over night beg which I empty each morning well before the shower helper arrives; except that morning I forgot to close the tap at the bottom of the leg bag, sometime later I noticed a wet patch on the carpet :-( Some carpet cleaning spray, some mopping and I like to think the signs have gone, now that a hair drier has been directed across the area involved. Although this morning she speaks about opening windows to freshen the room.
She coughs more often than I like while she eats. On one occasion I went to check on her during a bout of coughing and she said she had not been eating but had just "swallowed phlegm" the wrong way. Hard edges on her toasted breakfast crumpets "tickle" her throat, inducing coughing, so the crumpets are now warm rather than toasted.
She has decided that if she must use a catheter then the supra-pubic type will be preferable, to tomorrow we have an appointment with the doctor (we have changed clinics to another, seeing a very good GP of sub-continent origins) for tomorrow to obtain a referral to an appropriate specialist. Also she needs another script for Motilium, which she has reverted to taking two three times each day because she no longer calls for a large bowl because the biliousness following the last Apomine increase seems to have passed, her present situation perched on the loo not withstanding, and she remains there at 0950 with what seems to be mild diarrhoea (aaah, isn't a spell checker a fantastic tool?). She has asked for a pair of incontinent pants to put on to guard against mishaps, but I discourage that because I believe such things are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, and do you know what? there have been no signs of UTI since the last catheter change Thursday before last after which she has worn conventional briefs (suitable for a little old lady of course, no G strings!!) so I prefer her to avoid the padded things.
I have become very concerned that her lack of ability to stand up and walk is indicative of a soon-to-be phase of immobility in a wheel chair and bead-riddeness. The wheelchair has been needed more often to get her to and from the loo, the kitchen table where she mostly sews (continues to make lined bags for sale around at Respite).
She is visited once or twice each week by physios cordinated by TACP. Noticing their behaviour as well as others in the past, there is a hesitation on their part to assist this Parky Patient with exercise when she is "off", not moving very well. I think this is a mistake; granted, exercise to strengthen muscles tone when the patient is able to move reasonably well BUT movement training when OFF encourages brain plasticity to develop other neural pathways to compensate for the loss of normal motor ones. I think this is why LSVT BIG helped her until she ceased practising it.
She had her 10am meds then left the loo at 1015, standing and walking more easily than usual, even though she still has tummy bad feelings, now sits in her recliner, nursing the large bowl in case she is sick. I gave her a mug of warm water. She watched news commentary on TV. I took another video clip, minor movement in her left foot.
Doesn't seem that way this morning, so far an occasional odd leg shake, some un-intended finger movements, otherwise calmness. She even seems to be rising from seated positions and shuffling about the house better than recently observed. Just now, 0915, I went to check on her to take another video clip to find her on the loo. Some minutes earlier after drinking grape juice laced with Metamucil, two crumpets covered in margarine and malt extract followed by a cold chai latte (the way she likes it made straight from the foil tubular packet with milk) she developed stomach pains, taking herself to the loo. Her head had been tingling and she felt as if she was about to be sick. Acknowledging that decorum must be observed I refrain from videoing as she sits there in quiet contemplation.
No more catheter replacements!! Last night I replaced her leg bag as well as the overnight bag to avoid infection. I had an accident a few mornings ago; Overnight the leg bag drains into the over night beg which I empty each morning well before the shower helper arrives; except that morning I forgot to close the tap at the bottom of the leg bag, sometime later I noticed a wet patch on the carpet :-( Some carpet cleaning spray, some mopping and I like to think the signs have gone, now that a hair drier has been directed across the area involved. Although this morning she speaks about opening windows to freshen the room.
She coughs more often than I like while she eats. On one occasion I went to check on her during a bout of coughing and she said she had not been eating but had just "swallowed phlegm" the wrong way. Hard edges on her toasted breakfast crumpets "tickle" her throat, inducing coughing, so the crumpets are now warm rather than toasted.
She has decided that if she must use a catheter then the supra-pubic type will be preferable, to tomorrow we have an appointment with the doctor (we have changed clinics to another, seeing a very good GP of sub-continent origins) for tomorrow to obtain a referral to an appropriate specialist. Also she needs another script for Motilium, which she has reverted to taking two three times each day because she no longer calls for a large bowl because the biliousness following the last Apomine increase seems to have passed, her present situation perched on the loo not withstanding, and she remains there at 0950 with what seems to be mild diarrhoea (aaah, isn't a spell checker a fantastic tool?). She has asked for a pair of incontinent pants to put on to guard against mishaps, but I discourage that because I believe such things are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, and do you know what? there have been no signs of UTI since the last catheter change Thursday before last after which she has worn conventional briefs (suitable for a little old lady of course, no G strings!!) so I prefer her to avoid the padded things.
I have become very concerned that her lack of ability to stand up and walk is indicative of a soon-to-be phase of immobility in a wheel chair and bead-riddeness. The wheelchair has been needed more often to get her to and from the loo, the kitchen table where she mostly sews (continues to make lined bags for sale around at Respite).
She is visited once or twice each week by physios cordinated by TACP. Noticing their behaviour as well as others in the past, there is a hesitation on their part to assist this Parky Patient with exercise when she is "off", not moving very well. I think this is a mistake; granted, exercise to strengthen muscles tone when the patient is able to move reasonably well BUT movement training when OFF encourages brain plasticity to develop other neural pathways to compensate for the loss of normal motor ones. I think this is why LSVT BIG helped her until she ceased practising it.
She had her 10am meds then left the loo at 1015, standing and walking more easily than usual, even though she still has tummy bad feelings, now sits in her recliner, nursing the large bowl in case she is sick. I gave her a mug of warm water. She watched news commentary on TV. I took another video clip, minor movement in her left foot.
posted by Kilpike | 10:31 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home