Chapter 535 - Too Young to Forget, Too Old to Remember

I have been scribbling this blog since 2006 in an attempt to record the changes in her condition to be referred to occasionally for medical purposes as well as to keep a few interested people (not many these days) aware of her condition because I find explaining matters verbally somewhat difficult. Also because no one ever asks about her progress I assume they read this blog (although I sometimes doubt it) so I need not bother to wonder about their lack of interest. What began me writing along this line today is my daily recording of each daily event as it happens, in a range of notebooks, beginning I can't remember when and having established the habit of using A5 sized spiral bound pads. Recently I have begun to rely on my note taking as a proof of my having completed daily tasks about her care and I now find I must check these notes frequently because my memory is not what it used to be. During the past year I began writing the date and D for "day" and N for "night" on the labels of the Duodopa cartridges as I replace them on the pump, once each morning after 0600 and again around 1730 each day. Also, when there were more eye drops needed after her glaucoma/cataract procedures, I set an alarm on my phone for these and Duodopa  activities. Even so, I have cancelled alarms while engrossed in other activities without completing tasks. On Thursday evening, the night of her birthday, I had not changed the Duodopa cassette at 1730 and discovered the cassette completely empty the following morning. Also, I had changed the overnight flow rate to 2.2 rather than 2.0 ml/hr. Consequently, Friday did not begin well. So I have decided to record in my notebook each night that I have checked the pump cassette and settings before I turn out my light. Similar mistakes have been made during the last year and are always recorded, although doing so does not correct the problem of my forgetting in the first place and later not checking.

On Friday that did not begin well we met the Sisters for lunch at the RSL up the 4 lane. Although contributing very little to the conversation, she enjoyed herself none the less. That morning she scraped the scabs off the knuckles of the two toes on her left foot (mentioned in previous posts), leaving blood stains on the carpet. Each morning I apply Betadine before bandaging the toes. Fortunately there is no sign of infection. This morning I left the bandage and sock on her left foot, covering all in a plastic bag held in place with a rubber band. Of course her dyskinetically kicking leg and the Wild Dog Carer took insufficient care under the shower, so the bag filled with water.

I am concerned that she has had minimal bowel motions since last Sunday, just the occasional marble or two. She is difficult to encourage to drink more fluids.

Her main activity during the week, maybe 2 or 3 hours for several days, was attempting to untangle a skein of "wool" which is now mostly shredded and thrown out, retaining only a few small bundles. Yesterday I found her snipping pieces of velvet cloth and was told she had dismembered a cushion (one of those "U" shaped ones to avoid pressure sores) and was making another pillow. She continues the snipping today.

Almost time for lunch after which I must motivate myself to go down town to buy some more bandages.