I messed around and got a late start the day of Mom's last Dr. appointment and we had to reschedule it for the next day. Well, they wound up canceling that appointment but we did not get the word so it was a very frustrating day, especially so because Mom was not feeling well at all. The Dr. was going to be out of the office for a week attending a conference so I got Mom's appointment rescheduled for Monday 10/11 at 2PM. This is the Family Doctor follow up after the referral to the Neurologist.
Mom's symptoms today were: headache, stomachache, weak, dizzy, nauseous, feeling like she is going to pass out. When I got her home I took her blood pressure (117/60) and gave her a 500mg generic tylenol, a tumms, and got her a Wendy's regular hamburger with a small order of french fries. She had a half glass of milk with it. By the time she was done with the hamburger she felt better than she did all day. While she was eating I observed on her "Medication Tablet" that it appears as if she took her medication TWICE this morning. She had logged in "5 pills and spiriva" on Friday morning (that day) AND "5 pills and spiriva" on Saturday morning (but it was still Friday). I showed Mom on her calender and on her special digital clock that Snickers got for her that it was not Saturday yet and explained that if she took a double ration of her Blood Pressure medication, this is probably why she felt so bad all day. The food, tylenol and tumms seemed to have solved her other symptoms but she was still fidgety pacing and anxious.
Snickers came over the next day and took Mom and Bubba her bird, over for a visit at her house for a couple of days. I made sure Mom's rent was all paid for the month of October. There were other concerns raised while Mom was staying with Snickers. We have all concluded, Mom included, that she cannot be left alone anymore. Ladybug and I have started scouting Adult Group Homes that take AD patients. So far, the cheapest is 4000 per month. I will notify the SHAG apartment manager where Mom lives that she will be moving out. We will tie in with a social worker to find out the best way to make this move financially. Snickers made an appointment on 10/4 with a local Dr. near them to do a double check on Mom's medications. At one point her BP dropped down to 85/43. Our regular family doctor will fax over the latest blood work report to this other Dr. also. So..... on we go......
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Neurologist
The day for the appointment with the neurologist came and Mom was resistant about going. She is becoming more and more fearful about things as time goes by. There continues to be problems with memory but perhaps it is not going down hill as fast as it was before the family Dr. got her on the Namenda prescription.
Snickers came in for the appointment at the Neurologist and it went fairly well. The Neurologist interviewed Mom and determined that she is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease, AD. He also ordered some blood work to check some things like thyroid for other problems and prescribed another medication to complement the Namenda, Aricept. After we had the blood work done at Lab Core, Snickers took Mom home to stay with her for a couple of days.
It looks like we need to start looking at available Group Homes for AD patients but we are hoping that Mom will still be able to stay in her apartment for the time being without any serious incidents. I call her every morning around 9AM and every evening around 9PM to make sure she has taken her medication and has eaten something. She logs in what and when she takes for medication on a tablet on her kitchen table. We continue to take care of her grocery shopping and deliver the groceries weekly. Mom is starting to be a little more sociable we think with the other residents at the apartments. She attends a Bible Study on Monday evenings, watches a dance group on Friday evenings, and walks with a friend periodically. We still take her to church services on Wednesday nights and on Sunday when she feels well enough to attend.
Her new glasses were ready to pick up at America's Best so I took her in to get them. They look real nice and she seems to like them. We are trying to encourage her to start reading again. She used to be an avid reader. Also, we suggested that she start playing solitaire again. She used to enjoy that too. We try to remind ourselves to be patient and remember that she really is not what she used to be mentally and it is not her fault.
Snickers came in for the appointment at the Neurologist and it went fairly well. The Neurologist interviewed Mom and determined that she is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease, AD. He also ordered some blood work to check some things like thyroid for other problems and prescribed another medication to complement the Namenda, Aricept. After we had the blood work done at Lab Core, Snickers took Mom home to stay with her for a couple of days.
It looks like we need to start looking at available Group Homes for AD patients but we are hoping that Mom will still be able to stay in her apartment for the time being without any serious incidents. I call her every morning around 9AM and every evening around 9PM to make sure she has taken her medication and has eaten something. She logs in what and when she takes for medication on a tablet on her kitchen table. We continue to take care of her grocery shopping and deliver the groceries weekly. Mom is starting to be a little more sociable we think with the other residents at the apartments. She attends a Bible Study on Monday evenings, watches a dance group on Friday evenings, and walks with a friend periodically. We still take her to church services on Wednesday nights and on Sunday when she feels well enough to attend.
Her new glasses were ready to pick up at America's Best so I took her in to get them. They look real nice and she seems to like them. We are trying to encourage her to start reading again. She used to be an avid reader. Also, we suggested that she start playing solitaire again. She used to enjoy that too. We try to remind ourselves to be patient and remember that she really is not what she used to be mentally and it is not her fault.
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