Mom made it to the doctor today.

No, thanks to the three of us children. Here is how it played out. Last Wednesday her care taker called and told me of a problem, we thought because of the new medication. Since I was supposed to call about the medication a week after she started it I was waiting until either Thursday a week from the Dr. appointment or Friday a week from starting the medication. well Life got away from me and I did not get it done. So while I stopped in Saturday before coming back home her care taker pointed it out to me and told me it was going down now.

I could not wait for Monday morning to call the Dr. office and ask. Well I did ask and gave them her care takers phone # to answer one question was it from the inner ear or not. Then I waited for a call back. Her care taker called and I called her primary care Dr. to get her in today. It was 1:30 by then. They had an opening at 2:30 Living two hours away I knew I could not get there quick enough to make that one but took it hoping one of my brothers could help. Care taker called youngest brother no answer. She, her care taker, could not make it, so I called and rescheduled for 4:00P.M. When our middle sons track meet was to start here. I could have left our boys on there own for rides and whatever. Her care taker said she could do it after 3. So I made more calls. They will direct bill me for the copay. She filled the prescription where I do and out of pocketed the copay on that. I told her they have the account # on file and to bill that should it come up again. I just got that taken care of when I was there with those three appointments in one week.

The doctor had never seen anything like it, called in a second doctor in there practice and went from there. He also said the medicine the nerve doctor prescribed was too strong. to cut them in half and if they were still to strong to cut them in quarters. So that is the latest for the present. Her ear may drain. She sleeps on a towel for drainage.

I am so very thankful, They moved where they did in 1996!!! Yes, I had been praying for them to get off that 17 acres that had them working Farmers Market so much. They could not get away too much of the time. God knows what he was doing! To have Miss. Allie B and Miss. Bonnie be their neighbors. Being on the corner with no other houses closer. Bonnie helped me back in 2003 with mom when the Dr. called and said bring her to the hospital NOW. I could not get her to get dresses all day. Bonnie to the rescue. While Miss. Allie B is gone now and sorely missed. I am so thankful for this Dear Sister!!!! God Is So Good!

Mom's ear

Her ear is swollen very big from that new medication. It is scary looking. Mom has been having trouble sitting so she is needing help being stabilized. She is back to not wanting to eat again. I wonder what is the best way to help her. Pray is the only answer I know of.

I wish i had remembered I took the camera today. Oh well may be next time. She sang Jesus Loves Me with us today again, Bonnie, Elisha, Mom and I.

I further need to call the Dr. about I prescription for her cataract she got a hold of the bottle and it is gone now. So Monday I have two calls to make for her.

Sceduled the next dentist appointment

The dentist office just called and we set up the next apointment for June?!? June 14, 2007 at 1:00 P.M. I hope it does not conflict with the boys summer activites.

Dexascan & medication

I got word today that her Dexascan (I think that was her bone density test) came back normal. Yeah!

Her primary physician said she should be on the medication prescribed yesterday and that the likely hood of stoke is very small. So I guess I will have her start it.

She is eating again, Dr.'s!

Yea, mom is eating again.

Now the nerve Dr. I am questioning for many reasons. He prescribe another medication and I am questioning it with her physician tomorrow. According to the side effects I do not think she should take this one. He also upset me telling me I should plan to move her to a nursing home with in two months. Bonnie and I talked and not if we can help it. =-) Those places do not care about her.

Time to call it a day.

Iron (Fe)

I think I have figured out what had happened now. I do know mom was to have 88 mg of iron or Fe twice a day but the week I/we pulled her out of the nursing home they called and said her lab work came back that they had to adjust it to 325 mg twice a day. The Dr. called the pharmacy with her prescriptions, that weekend. I told the Dr. she had just had her iron upped but many things did not agree. When I took her 2 weeks later they had moved the appointment and confirmed things by phone call.

The pharmacy had only sold me 50 mg tablets! With 8 other prescriptions the time and the 3 hour hassle I had I did not check them over, just a couple of them that were right. So while the office just checked her lab work on April 6, 2007. They called me on 8 April 2007 while I was in MI, with my aunt saying it was low. I was shocked since she was on 325 mg twice a day. They wanted her stool test to see if she was loosing they iron there.

So while dropping her off yesterday I caught the problem as her care taker, Bonnie and I talked. Since there were 45 mg tablets & 50 mg tablets for her. We choose to use them before getting more. So she will be getting 5 iron tablets (3x50 mg +2x45 mg=240 mg) three times a day. Then the Dr. wants her checked in 8 weeks. I plan to pick her up the 325 mg tablets as soon. I wonder if this will help her to become more alert again. One can only hope. I am a little surprised the nurse for the long term insurance did not catch it though. We learn as we live.

mixed news

Trouble in paradise. Mom is only wanting to eat one thing. Oatmeal. Growing up she did not like breakfast she ate a half a grapefruit every day for breakfast. Rarely would she eat Special K or Cheerios. For a little while they cooked Oatmeal , Cream of Wheat or Coco Wheat's for breakfast but that as I recall was only on Sunday's for 6 months or so. Oat meal is good and good for you but she does need variety in her diet. This refusing it eat is starting to scare me.

Another problem today was she did not want to get out of the van at the eye doctors or her house we went to get her a jacket for spring. I do not know what I will do if she keeps this up she will be more than I can handle.

As for the good news the return trip to the eye doctor said her vision had improved from 20/200 to 20/60!!! That is wonderful!!!

Bonnie had to put a slide lock on her door as mom has tried to run away a couple of times.

Cataract Surgery

Well I got up at 4 A.M. like I needed to. I was on the road in time, and watched the sun come up as I drove over. I picked mom up at 6:31 and we were where we needed to be at 7:00 A.M. From there we were shuffled along in a timely manor. They put mom to sleep, removed the cataract. I talked to the doctor he was happy with how things had went. He did put a stitch in to keep her from rubbing it open.

Tomorrow I hope we know more about the Corneal Guttata associated with Fuch's Corneal Dystrophy. I am not sure how long before the doctor will decide about it if it makes enough difference to remove the other Cataract. We do go back for a follow up to surgery appointment.

While it took quite a while to wake up afterward, mom was not hungry. She wanted to sleep and keep the 4 blankets on. We left about 11:30 or 12 noon with the help of two nurses and a belt to hold her. As we got close her caregivers house she said she need a week to heal, she also said she could not heel at the care givers home. She fought to stay in my mini van. Could be interesting tomorrow. When I get her I think it will go fine, but getting her back to the Caregivers could be where she puts up a fight again.

There is still much to learn about taking care of mom.

Right eye done, left eye undecided.

New Perscription Today

Mom got a new prescription today. 3 Potassium pills a day. I got her one for surgery and the 30 day ones. Ready for surgery? I hope so.

About moving out of the nursing home

I moved mom out of the nursing home. I was over in their community on Jan. 5th and 6th. Before I left town on the 5th I stopped in to see her at 8:30P.M. at night she was in bed fully dressed. So after going back to the house and working I went over to see her at 10:30 A.M. Saturday morning. She was in the same clothes, and she had soiled herself and was sitting in it. I waited 15 or 20 minutes and no one came to check on her or her roommate. I changed mom, then determined to get her moved ASAP. So on January 13th I moved her out of the nursing home. For two months she made the most incredible progress. I was in awe. She has regressed again yet she does still recognise me. She is living with a former neighbor who has the care of her cousin who is bed ridden and on IV's, and her 13 year old great nephew who was abused. We are trying to get mom's house cleaned out to move them back while Bonnie, her care taker, has an addition put on her house. Then we will decide which place works better for them. Mom did not know me when we moved her out of the nursing home.

Mom's Eyes (Ann)

While Bonnie had us looking for mom's glasses for more than a month, to no avail. Since it was in 2003 she had last gotten them she was due again, so I took her. I did learn she has cataracts in both eyes and corneal guttata associated with Fuch's corneal dystrophy. It was at this time I learned Uncle Clyde has glaucoma. Which I am sharing as these things are hereditary so you and your children should know it. I will assume you will inform them.

We returned to the doctor on 6 April 2007 for a cataract consultation. She will have out patient surgery on April 16, 2007. She may need the corneal replaced the doctor will advise after the surgery.

Mom has slipped again in what she know and does not know. This is hard. If you need more information please ask I will try to make it clear for you.