Chapter 548 - In Need of a Substitute Outing

As I write she is sorting bags, those brown paper bags from the chemist, brightly coloured plastic ones from Coles and others, those items we now pay for on those occasions when we forget to carry several (true most of the time) in a coat pocket or in the back of her wheel chair. She takes great effort to neatly fold each bag then group like bags into bundles then hold each bundle together with coloured rubber bands (which aren't rubber). This activity of hers happens each week or so, although such an incomplete task will be abandoned should her attention be distracted or I interfere by taking her out or to meals. The bundles are kept at floor level in our built in pantry where medications, various vitamins, aches and pain pills and such like are kept. Soon I will need to place some of these bundles into the garbage to make room for future additions.

I slept in this morning, so rather that change her Duodopa cassette and the pump setting at about 0615 it was about 0700 when I completed the tasks. She had no dyskinesia then, but by the time I completed my Luminosity tasks and showered by 0740 her legs were going at a fast rate. Onto her commode in readiness for a shower there was no time for her to even briefly use the pedal machine before the Wild Dog carer arrived to shower her, after which I decided she had best return to bed for awhile. Then laying on her RHS in bed, and rubbing her left leg for awhile she fell asleep by 0820, only to wake at 0845, without dyskinesia and ready for breakfast.

On Sunday 9th February, a cool damp day, we re-stocked with new pillows from Target then wheel chaired all the way to Dimmey's to take advantage of their new "50% off Closing Down Sale" renamed after being "20% off" and there really is not much left. She enjoys brushing her hands across the ends of rolls of fabric, thinking aloud what she could make from the stuff (but of course she is no longer able to do so), reading aloud labels and prices of items she sees as we move between rows of stuff. She decided she needed lengths of lacy ribands so she selected about half a dozen rolls which we took to the cutting counter. When asked "What lengths?" by the girl she answered "Ten metres please". I probably flinched but at 50% off who could complain? I think we paid $19 for the stuff. Then into the Worker's for a coffee as we were about to walk by, that was a mistake because there was a so-called "blues" band playing in the bar lounge and although we sat in the far corner of "quiet" eating area next door, we could not tolerate the din, she was only able to consume the froth on top of her iced coffee, so we left for home.

On Thursday I weighed her again down at the ReHab, at 48.9kg before taking her to the GP for referrals for her to see the podiatrist next week. She wanted to have lunch out, so to the Worker's again where she had a quiche, sweets and an iced coffee (normal noise levels this time) then down to Dimmey's again where amongst the dwindling stock she bought bundles of socks (I suspect kid's sizes) in garish colours and a small beanie.  Probably none will be worn. Strangely, she passed up the opportunity to buy $10 watches at 50% off.

Thursday 6th saw us up at West Beer to see her neuro where she had her annual nerve conduction study on her right arm and leg. I queried him whether she should be admitted for observation (as he once suggested) but he doubted anything would be gained. I gave him a memory stick containing the video of her last "turn" when she was zombie-like for some 2 hours (when I didn't have her taken to hospital as I did on Xmas Day), an example of her "winding" invisible thread onto an invisible spool. He stated that just so long as her non-responsive episodes lasted no longer that about 15 minutes I need not be concerned. When I told him the duration of the episode  on the memory stick lasted for a period of about 2 hours her said he will look at the video and get back to me if there was concern. I described the effect of rolling her onto her RHS as a way to stop dyskinesia to which he said such behaviour is known but there is no explanation for it; he knows of one instance where the patient only suffers dyskinesia when laying down, not while upright. Now a week later and I have not heard from him.

She "trimmed" the neckline a blouse (worn a number of times before) a few days ago because it was not made correctly until she decided it was not repairable so into the bin with it. I fear that was the fate of another brand new one bought at Big W some weeks ago, I think I mentioned that in my last post.