Chapter 573 - A Fading Miracle

 Don't get me wrong, what I mean by "miracle" is an unexplained outcome, not a supernatural event. 

After she was put to bed at 1815 last Wednesday evening the Duodopa pump began sounding an alarm, a pair of beeps continuously; dir-dip, dir-dip, dir-dip, ............. without displaying an error message yet if the pump was picked up or moved then the beeps would cease, only to begin again some minutes later. I powered off the pump, removed and replaced the cassette, removed and replaced the existing batteries, replaced the existing batteries with new ones but between each action the beeps began again shortly after the pump was restarted. According to the pump's own measure of fluid delivered it was pumping. Then at the next series of beeps while leaving the pump running I disconnected the hose from the PEG-J fitting and did not see any fluid flowing although in hindsight I'm unsure whether I heard the pump cycle. Assuming the pump was defective, I fitted new batteries into the spare pump, attached the cassette and connected it to the PEG-J. No further beeping was heard. Since then her dyskinesias have reduced noticeably or is it just my imagination? And I am being wakened less each night by her bed rattling when I need to attend to her by rolling her from one side to another. The next day I set the "defective" pump at 5 ml flow rate to pump  from a partially used cassette into a medicine glass; after one hour there was 5ml in the glass although the meniscus of the thick white fluid made reading the level difficult. I will repeat the experiment for a longer time.

Meanwhile the "spare" pump remains in use. I have not yet asked West Beer clinic for a replacement. She seems to be suffering less during the last couple of days, although yesterday I began to despair when her dyskinesia seemed to increase again. The FitBit has not been refitted since having it around her ankle bothers her. Although the dir-dips from the pump have been heard in the forgotten past, removal of batteries and cassette had "cured" the problem. The User Guide describes at least 15 causes of a "Two-tone alarm" and there seems to be a displayed message with each except for one with [No message] for which the action required is to replace the batteries.

She no longer wishes to go out in the car or even go around our village in the wheel chair; "too uncomfortable" or "kicking too much" is her response to my suggestions. I will suggest a fish and chip lunch to her later, even though she said no earlier.

She has no contact with anyone other than scheduled daily visits and the one phone call each week from the Wild Dog staff. Her friend down in Hot Air City no longer rings; making one sided conversation is difficult.

Late yesterday afternoon I strolled to the gazebo near the village hall overlooking the river and read a chapter or two of a novel. She had no wish to go. I am tired.