Chapter 440 - Panic

As last week tediously progressed she began using her ball machine (the gadget to encourage deep breathing, may be called a simple "spirometer") more frequently, often exclaiming "I can't breathe". Occasionally I recorded her use of it, mostly not. And I'm mostly not in her presence to see it used.

Thursday was an uncomfortable day for her; we attended the Xmas lunch for our PD group. Before leaving home she had stomach pains but sitting on the loo produce very little and that not loose. We rushed away from near the end of the meal, called at the chemist's for the new order of Duodopa and as usual, she needed the loo immediately we were home, only doing a small pebble. Having spoken to our Dr last Wednesday (he said no more than half an hour seated on the loo), I moved her off the loo onto the commode which is a bit more comfortable. After some short time there she wanted to lay down She said she had done no poo. As I transferred her from commode to Sara Stedy, I saw an enormous stool in in the commode pan so I again asked her whether she had passed anything. No she had not. She was surprised when I showed her. She experienced no sensation in passing it or an easing of the urge to defecate, the need to "go" remained. Because the object was black in colour I took pictures of it to show the doctor; she now has an appointment on Monday. I later realised she had been eating licorice a few days previously. Just now, on Sunday, she needed help with the bidet (it had been switched off) after she had again passed a large quantity but it was brown. Dr I. had given me a script for her for a "Laxative with Senna", two tablets twice a day which seems to impacting her sense of urgency.

Thursday wore on to become the worst she has been in a long time. Unable to get comfortable I moved her between wheel chair and commode, attempted to transfer herself but failed, seems to fear transfers by the Sara Stedy, was unable to eat much of the evening meal, had "cramps" around her middle. After the Wild Dog carer put her to bed we both slept till near 11PM. I reduced the Duodopa flow rate down to 2.9 ml/hr. Then began some hours of horror. Glassy eyed, demanding, irrational, she asked to be moved from bed to commode, feet raised or lowered, to loo on Sara Stedy, frequent use of the ball machine, leg dydkinesias almost constant, sometimes with fine rapid movements. She wanted more medication so a bolus was given. I tried a couple of crushed Panamax in water to calm her; doing so may be effective so I have done so several times now. Sometime around 3AM Friday we both went to sleep. On waking at 6AM to begin this cycle once more I thought that her behaviour may be symptomatic of over dosing; neuro Dr C. had said to drop back by O.2 ml/hr should her upper body become dyskinetic so instead of setting the pump to 5.6 as the day rate I set it to 5.4. Being a dutiful client carer I sent an email to the PD Clinic at West Beer, Friday night almost became a bearable repeat of the previous night but we went to sleep around midnight.

Saturday was a much better day, much of it at respite at Wild Dog. She ate very little for her evening meal. Breathlessness  needing the ball machine was much less frequent.

This blog is experiencing a large number of hits in bursts of around 30, strange in that the plot is a  display of almost constant spikes. Machine like perhaps? A shame I don't accept comments.

I'm so tired just now I'm off to have a snooze.