Blazing Around the Track!

We've been walking pretty regularly around the park track for several weeks now, with a few days off due to the raw cold, and I've seen a good bit of improvement. I started out using the walker, and was really depending on it. We were lucky enough some time ago to find a good buy at an Estate Sale for the kind that has four large wheels and a padded seat. It's really a Cadillac, as it has all kinds of pockets and sections, plus a large storage bin under the seat. The only drawback is that it takes up a good bit of room in the car, even folded up. But it's been perfect for the track. I don't have to worry about getting stranded on the far side, as I can stop and sit any time I need to. Actually, I haven't sat down yet, but knowing I could makes me push myself further than I would otherwise.

When we started, I was doing good to get around twice, with the walker. Now I'm making two rounds without the walker and two more with it, for a whole mile. Of course, I'm slow, but I definitely see progress! DH is walking with me, and he's up to 6 laps in the time it takes me to do 4.

I haven't heard from the Physical Therapy place yet, so I'll have to call the Orthopedist's office to get the ball rolling on that.

I spent a very upsetting hour or so trying to talk to Medicare about the charges they denied when Daddy went to the hospital. It's standard procedure for Medicare to deny any and all claims if the date of service overlaps the date of Hospice service. Each one has to be reapplied for, with a statement of Denial from the Hospice, proving the charge was unrelated to what he was on Hospice for. So the Medicare person was no help at all. I did, however, get somewhere with the Billing Clerk from the Radiologist who didn't get paid.

Still about the Same

I've called Hospice back out here twice, because he was in pain that I couldn't resolve with the Morphine, or his breathing was worse. They're good to come, but it takes over an hour for them to make the drive. His heart is still strong, although the body is all but shut down.

I managed to get a little sleep last night, but mostly it's my arm keeping me awake. It's still very swollen above the elbow and painful all the way down to my finger tips. It's hard to say if I pulled a muscle, irritated a tendon, or if this is from the Parkinson's. Whatever it is, I'm not helping to change Daddy now. We have the nurses and aides coming, so Fred helps them do it. Daddy's bottom looks horrible now, but it's to be expected, since we have quit trying to turn him. He's just in too much pain when we have to, to put in a suppository for pain, or to change him. He's resting peacefully almost all the time, if we just leave him alone. So I've opted for bed sores, rather than upsetting him every 2 hours.

Frances is here today, so I've left her with Daddy, and I've moved up to the living room to try to get some sleep. Just thought I'd jot off how things are right now, before I try to get some rest.

Active Life = Strong Heart

Saying Goodbye

The Hospice nurse told me today that the nurse who stayed Saturday thought he had a heart attack that night. I had been guessing maybe two more weeks at the most, based on Daddy's refusal to let me put anything in his mouth. She told me to be thinking more like days. I've said my goodbye's, tried to finish the sentences he was struggling to get out, and he's ready - well past ready. I didn't have to hear the individual words to know the cadence of his "I wish this would hurry up and get over with," as I've been hearing that for some time now.

Saying goodbye is never easy, but our first Hospice experience taught us that it is important. Even if you don't think the person is aware enough to hear you, the loving words need to be said. And if they can't respond, you need to speak out loud for them, saying what you know they would say to you if they could. Not easy.

Time I Tried to Catch Up

I've ended up doing the very thing I really didn't want to do, and that's not keep this blog as a daily journal. It's just that so much has been happening lately that I just had to put blogging way down on my priority list.

So.... here goes .........

Since I wrote last, Daddy has been much worse. There was a large bulge in his upper right colon area that no amount of enemas, suppositories, stool softeners, or laxatives seemed to be effecting at all. We are fortunate enough to live in the country, where doctors still treat their patients as individuals. So Friday, a week ago, Daddy's primary care physician came out to the house after work! After feeling around on the area, he really didn't think it was a bowel impaction, but there was no way for him to be sure. He suggested we put Daddy in the hospital for some tests. I spent the weekend deeply upset by that prospect, not knowing what was best for him. Dr. Mc understood that we had no intention of any type of surgery, if they did find anything other than fecal matter. On top of the rest of my misery over making this decision, he would be in the hospital I swore I would never take anyone to ever again.

I finally decided that I would be in worse shape emotionally if I didn't at least give it a try, so I was in the hospital with Daddy for several days this last week. We came home Thursday, after the tests they did showed conclusively that it was not fecal matter. We stopped them from running any more tests, so it was left as a diagnosis of a soft tissue mass. I don't need to know what it is ... only that I can give him pain medicine, because it won't be causing more constipation on a blocked bowel.

We also brought home new pressure sores, because it took lots of complaining to get them to change him and turn him. And, when they did handle him, most of them were not gentle with his skin. Did I say I hate that hospital??

One of the two really caring PCA's gave me four hospital gowns to take home, which is a big help at this point.

Yesterday evening, when DH and I started to turn Daddy to change his Depends, he threw up all over the place. Considering the amount of food and liquid Frances had gotten in him, everything must have been sitting in his stomach all day!! He was obviously in pain, so I called the Hospice nurse, who advised that I not try to give him his night medicines or move him for at least an hour. We cleaned him up the best we could and managed to get towels between his skin and the sheets, etc., that were soaked.

After an hour, we changed everything out to clean, but it was obvious we were really hurting him with every turn. After reporting in to the nurse, she said not to feed him or give him any medicine, but to call again if he didn't go to sleep comfortably on his own.

I called her back at 2:00AM, as things were worse again, and she told me to give him the morphine that absorbs through his mouth. She arrived about an hour later, as we are on the outside reach of this Hospice territory. He was running a temp, and his blood pressure was very high. We managed to get the blood pressure med in him that he had missed at supper time, plus a sublingual tablet for fever. I'm not sure what that was.

She then suggested I try to get some sleep, and she sat up with him for three hours, while I napped!! There's a lot about this hospice I don't like, but she moved them up a few notches in my estimation, in the wee hours of this morning!!!!!

Part of the reason I haven't been blogging is that my right arm and hand have been in considerable pain and swelling since we went to the hospital. Thinking it would be enough, I only took my cane. By the time I had walked all over the place as they took Daddy for tests, I had put too much pressure on my arm, and I paid the price for not remembering to swap to the left hand often. Thank goodness, I had thought to pack my hot pad. So I spent his hospital time doping myself up with as much pain medicine as I dared to, and still staying awake enough to be harassing them to do their job. I just couldn't manage the computer very well at all!! It looks like I'm going to have to learn how to use a mouse left handed ... I'm pitifully uncoordinated as a lefty ... far more so now with the PD.

I'm also fortunate that we had bought a really nice wheel walker with the seat in it some time ago at an Estate Sale. DH was very depressed when we bought it, but it was a blessing when my arm hurt so much.

I can't thank you all enough for your prayers and kind thoughts while all this was going on. I knew you were worried about my sudden disappearance, and appreciate the emails I received. Just know that you have been supporting me, even though you didn't know what was going on.

My Uplifting Valentine's Presents

This last week has really been a strange one, on several counts. I wouldn't normally go this long without a post, but I tried to get a little too fancy with my Drive Partitioning software, and couldn't get the computer to boot at all! It took me several days to figure out how to fix it, and several more to get everything back the way it belonged. Luckily, I'm good about backing up my data, so I didn't lose any of that.

In between working on the computer, DH and I have had quite a time with Daddy. He's been getting more and more wobbly, and less and less able to follow our transfer directions. So, we've had several episodes of it taking every bit of strength the two of us had to get him from one place to another. The last straw was Monday or Tuesday (I've lost track HA!) when we had the usual bowel problem. Thank goodness I had decided to move the commode into the bedroom, instead of trying to take him in the bathroom. By the time that ordeal was finished, he just about finished all three of us before we got him cleaned up and back in his wheelchair. The Hospice nurse came not long after that, and she could tell how exhausted we all were. This time, when I asked for lifting help, she agreed that it was time.

So, what did I get for Valentine's Day???? A brand spanking new Hoyer Lift!!! Frances, our paid care giver, DH, and I learned how to use it this morning, and we were able to move Daddy from the bed all the way into the living room to his recliner, without any trouble at all. He's more comfortable, and we're MUCH happier. And our backs and nerves appreciate it, too!!

I've been pleased with how well the Zelepar has been helping me deal with all this physical and emotional strain. I did have a bout of hysterical crying this weekend, though, because Daddy's foot looked worse to me, and I felt so guilty that I had let it get that way. My head knew I'd done my best, but my emotions sure didn't. The Podiatrist was here today, and he's very pleased with how it's progressing, so that's a big relief. Hey, that's another Valentine's Day present for me!!

And, today, for the first time in years, the pressure sore on Daddy's bottom is all but healed! Present number THREE!!

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in quite some time, I really think we're going to be able to keep Daddy out of a Nursing Home. The lift, the gel seat cushion, our Estate Sale sheepskin finds, and the rippling mattress have made all the difference in the world in Daddy's quality of life. I thank God for his tender mercies.

Downs and Ups with Daddy

A lot has been going on with Daddy this week that has kept us both pretty busy. I called the Podiatrist's office Monday about his heel, and they said he would come by Wednesday evening. The regular Hospice nurse came and took a look at it and changed the bandages, telling me that the key thing was to keep the blister from breaking open. She promised that we would get the rippling kind of mattress this week, too, which is supposed to help with pressure sores, such as those on his bottom and heel.

Monday night was the worst I've had with Daddy. His usual bedtime is 6:30, but he wasn't sleepy then. That's not too surprising, since he sleeps so much during the day, but part of his night medicine is a Tylenol PM, so I can't let him stay up too late after taking that, or it would be dangerous to try to transfer him into bed. So, I put him to bed a little after 7:00PM. He spent the next 5 hours talking wildly about things like when was he going home, who were all those people, where was his bed, where was I going to sleep, and on and on. He would call me to the back every 15 or 20 minutes, and nothing I told him appeased him. When I told him he was already in bed, he would disagree, telling me he was in the car, and wanted to go home. About midnight he finally went to sleep, but the whole craziness started over again off and on every few hours until it was time to get up.

Not surprisingly, he was wobbly all day Tuesday, and I was worn out, too. So, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night I gave him 2 Tylenol PM! He slept soundly, and his walking was much better during the day. His appetite has even shown signs of improving a little.

His Podiatrist ended up coming out yesterday evening. He immediately set to cutting the whole top of the blister off!! Mind you, Hospice had told me to do everything I could to keep the blister intact. I was SO glad I had called him! He showed me a dark place in the tissue that was already beginning to develop into a deep decubitus ulcer, and said it would not have healed if it were not fixed so it could drain. He also told me to keep it open to the air as much as I could, instead of keeping it all wrapped up.

I think I've finally gotten my point across to the Hospice people that I expect preventative care as much as possible. So the rippling air mattress came yesterday!! It has many crosswise sections of air filled tubes that slightly inflate and deflate back and forth from the top to the bottom of the bed and back. For getting in and out of the bed, it can also be set to inflate completely for a firm surface. I think this will actually help, and may even keep him from getting any more sore places on his bottom.

He still has times when he doesn't know whose house he's in, but the hallucinations are not as disturbing to him as they were. His strength is returning, and with the improved appetite, he feels more like walking. So, a week that started as the worst yet has prospects of ending as one of the better ones. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!

We Have BOOTIES!!

Finally, a good two weeks or more after I first asked for them, the nurse brought the sheepskin looking booties today. If I had gotten them when I asked, his heel would not have looked so bad, and may not have even blistered at all. She also brought the seat cushion for his chair. His bottom is also getting worse, so this will help considerably.

We spent the whole morning trying to achieve a bowel movement. I've been giving Daddy 2 stool softeners with each meal, plus a Senna laxative tablet each night. He hadn't been since last Wednesday, so this morning we went all out to get some results. Prune juice for breakfast, plus another laxative tablet. It's quite an involved process to get him in the bathroom now, but DH helped me this morning. Daddy still couldn't go. So, I used a suppository. We waited, but still nothing.

By the time we had him ready to move to his chair in the living room, everything decided to start working. So, we went through the routine to get him back in the bathroom, take care of that, and then put him on the bed, so I could get him really clean and put ointment back on his sores. Then, we got him back up and into his chair. By the time we did all that, the nurse came. His chair is a recliner, which he would not use before. But we had so much trouble keeping him comfortable in his chair or the wheelchair Saturday, that we thought it was worth a try. By propping his calves up with two pillows, we finally got his legs high enough for his heels to hang without touching anything. And he's comfortable. He immediately fell asleep, bless his heart.

He's not the only one who's worn out! DH had to take over and sit with him while we were waiting for him to finish in the bathroom, because my stomach started churning and cramping. I not only had diarrhea, but I came very close to throwing up. I think it was just from my nerves, but this would never have happened before I had Parkinson's. It makes me so very nervous to work with him, because I'm so slow at everything I do. I'm afraid he's going to fall while I'm trying to get his pants down. In fact, I'm afraid he's going to fall every time I do anything with him. Really, I'm just afraid, period. Even though I know exactly what I want to do, I have no confidence that I will be able to actually do it, anymore.

DH and I have eaten lunch, but we've left Daddy sleeping for now, as he's exhausted. DH is asleep sitting on the sofa, and I'm blogging and resting. We're all three worn out from the morning's doings. LOL

This nurse says the other nurse will bring the air mattress when she comes later in the week, which should help his bottom a good bit.

I managed to control my temper while the nurse was here, as I didn't see that anything useful would come from letting her know just how mad at her I was. My DH knew I was mad, but I don't think she ever realized it. I hope not, as we have to work with her.

But if we have another situation develop like this one, I doubt if I will be so restrained.

For the Want of a Nail .....

It's pitiful the domino effect one small problem can have on the well being of an elderly person.

From the start of putting Daddy in the hospital bed, he has been very touchy on his left heel when I'm getting him dressed in the mornings. I had already, some time ago, asked for help keeping his heels in good condition, as I had noticed some splotchy areas there. The nurse said she would order booties. When they didn't bring them, I asked the next nurse I saw about them, and she said she would take care of it. Well, the booties didn't come, and yesterday morning Daddy had a water blister on the bottom of that left heel that is huge.

Even though it was Saturday, I called the after hours Hospice number, telling them about his heel. The nurse had a call to make in the opposite direction from us, but she said she would see him sometime that day. Sure enough, she did come about lunchtime.

When she measured the blister, it was 2" by 3"!! His whole heel has broken down!! No wonder it was hurting. She used an ointment on it, padded it with gauze, wrapped his foot in Coban, and reminded me to hang his heels off a pillow and not let them touch anything. She said I did the right thing calling, and she thought it had been caught soon enough that it would heal quickly. Of course, Daddy is diabetic, so quickly is a relative term.

I'm just sick about that heel. I've been going to his house to fix breakfast and put on his shoes and socks for years now. I always checked his feet and made sure I smoothed out any wrinkles in his socks, before putting on his shoes. Now, too many people are dressing him, and I have no idea how the blister got started.

So, for want of a nail, the battle was lost. Hopefully, our battle is not lost, but it certainly has been put in jeopardy! Because of the huge bandage on his foot, he can't wear his shoes. Because he can't wear shoes, he's not as sure footed when he tries to stand up. Because he's having trouble standing or walking, he had to stay in the wheelchair almost all day long. Because he's in the wheelchair and not walking to the bathroom, he's not getting any exercise, so his legs are even weaker. Because he's sitting almost constantly, with his legs up, the pressure on his bottom is greater, so the sores on his bottom are getting worse!

The nurse was obviously concerned that I had not gotten the booties when I asked for them. She said she would see to it that the medical supply company brought out the seat cushion, booties, and an air mattress as soon as possible. We'll see.

This is exactly why I don't want to put him in a nursing home. If his skin has broken down here, with me asking several times for the equipment that would have prevented it, how much longer would they have waited to deal with his skin, with no one around to remind them??

We spent the day yesterday trying to keep him as comfortable as we could, what with his bottom sore and his foot sore.

This was not the Hospice we had used with Mama and Pop, but the one the doctor's office made arrangements with. I'm seriously considering switching Hospices. That means returning all the equipment and getting another set from the Hospice we liked, but at this rate, it will be worth it!! It all depends on how long it takes them to get this equipment to us this week. If it's delayed, they're fired, no matter how much of a hassle it is!!

What a Difference the Right Equipment Makes!!

This morning was my first chance to take care of Daddy from a hospital bed that worked properly. It made quite a difference, although I still had problems getting him to follow my directions. I was able to change him out of the night Depends, clean him up, and get fresh ones on, put on socks, pants part way, and shoes, before I ever let the bed down for him to sit up. That is a BIG help. He rolled away from me, following my directions perfectly, but when it came time to roll toward me, he kept trying to climb over the rail!! DH heard me struggling to get his legs back in, and came and helped me get him on his side, so I could finish the Depends. Next time, I'll put his trousers on around his ankles first, so it will kind of "hog tie" him. LOL

Having the right equipment does make all the difference in the world when care giving. I've been very concerned about Ruth and Mick, after seeing the terrible bruises he gets from a wheelchair that doesn't fit his needs properly. I wrote The Voltage Gate and A Hearty Life, thinking that they might have some scientist friends who could help her adapt the wheelchair better. If you know anyone who might be able to help her, I sure would appreciate you sending them the link to her post.

Anyway, we continue to take one day at a time, even one hour at a time, with Daddy, just trying to keep him as comfortable and as mobile as we possibly can.

Strange Things Are Hapnin'

I went to my Neurologist last Friday, and I explained to him all that had been going on the whole time I was trying out the Zelepar. He agreed that the medicine had not received a fair chance at working. So, he gave me a prescription for it, with instructions to use if for a month. If I was not pleased with the way it relieved my symptoms, I could then add the Requip I have taken before back to my schedule. Now that my digestive system is behaving, I told him I thought I could handle the Requip just fine.

Of course, being the little town that ours is, our Pharmacy didn't have the Zelepar in stock. He has to order unusual medicines, but they come the next business day, and that works OK, most of the time. Of course this was Friday afternoon, when we dropped off the prescription, so I was without all weekend. I did the only thing I knew to do - I used the Requip I already had. My tummy didn't complain a bit, either.

My throat is still irritated, and I finished the antibiotic today, so I'm thinking I'll see if the nurse will swab my throat again, or just refill the prescription. I'm not convinced that the strep is gone, and I can't afford a relapse. I had rheumatic fever as a baby, so my heart is particularly vulnerable to strep infections.

I'm feeling good about the medicines Dr. S. has me on for the Parkinson's now, and I'm sure my GP will take care of my throat, so things are settling down for me.

It's just as well, because Daddy continues to decline. His arm is much better, thanks to the arm band, but his mind, and his body in general, continue to go down hill. We've had some difficulty all along getting his bowels to move, as one might expect from a 101 year old. I was using the glycerin suppositories I had to help him go, plus he is on Colace as a stool softener. The last time I used the suppository, it didn't help, which I thought was strange. So, I figured, since I use two of them, I'd use two on him. To my surprise, I discovered the first suppository still in place - not melted in the least! His body temp is so low that it didn't dissolve!!

So, even though I had been trying to put it off, I felt I had to call the Hospice Nurse, and request help giving him an enema. The enema was an ordeal for him, but it helped. That was yesterday. Today, his strength is noticeably less, and his confusion is noticeably more. His mind and body just can't cope with any kind of assault now, even if it's for his own good. Going to the Orthopedist sent him downhill, and the enema just pushed him that much further.

I can only pray that I will do well on the Zelepar, or the Zelepar and Requip combination, as I think it's clear that Daddy has taken a definite turn for the worse. In God's good time, this will all work out. I just have to take one step at a time, and leave the end results to Him.

Can I Keep Daddy in His Own Home Any Longer?

It looks like it's time to consider a Nursing Home for Daddy, something I never wanted, and he certainly won't want.

The last couple of weeks have been busy ones, as far as taking care of my Daddy is concerned. He woke up two weeks ago with his right arm in such pain and so stiff that he's been having to eat breakfast left handed. He can't even get the spoon to his mouth with his right hand. The Hospice nurse came and checked him out, but she couldn't find anything in particular going on. She did get a prescription for Ibuprofen, so I've been alternating every four hours with the Motrin and Extra Strength Tylenol. By lunch time his arm has been better, but it starts all over the next day, just as bad as the day before.

With his arm like that, he's having more difficulty getting out of his chair and the bed. Eating has been very frustrating for him, and he's having more trouble using the walker. I've been trying to help him get up and down, to give his arm a chance to heal, whatever has been wrong with it.

Day before yesterday, the nurse looked at it again and was concerned about a good bit of fluid build up around the elbow and upper arm. I knew his hand was swollen, but I hadn't realized the upper arm was larger, too. Anyway, she made an appointment for us to see his GP, Dr. M., in case it was a hairline fracture from the original fall, or something like that.

I didn't realize until yesterday just how much worse Daddy is than he was when he first fell. Trying to move him from the chair to the wheelchair, and then from the wheelchair to the car, was just about impossible. I wore myself out trying to do it. Luckily, Frances, our sitter, was there to help move him into the car, and she was panting by the time he was in. It's so much different than when we took care of Mama and Pop. They were both small people, not weighing more than 100 pounds, and they both cooperated. Daddy is about 160 pounds, and he's a dead weight. To make matters worse, he doesn't trust anybody, so he kept grabbing hold of the car door for dear life, and we had to peel his hands free to get him to hold onto us to maneuver him.

We asked for help at the doctor's office, getting him out and back in, so at least we didn't have to struggle with him there. But then, of course, we had to get him out of the car and back in the wheelchair on our own when we got home. He wasn't any easier to move then than he had been at first.

The whole ordeal was extremely upsetting. The worst part of it was that the doctor no longer has an X-ray machine, so it was more or less a wasted trip. We have to see an Orthopedist next week. That means going through all this again. I did mention to Dr. M. that I had a sore throat, so the nurse swabbed it, and I have strep. So now I'm on antibiotics. At least we accomplished that!

Yesterday's events have forced me to reconsider just how much longer we are going to be able to keep Daddy in his home. I can see that he's fast reaching a point where I won't be strong enough to take care of him. My DH and my Daddy have always had, shall we say, a cool relationship with each other. So DH gets frustrated with him, and Daddy stays mad at DH. My hubby is here for me, and doing a great amount of the work, but he's just not up to the cheek to cheek "dance" it takes to move someone who's not able (or willing) to help. And I've had a lot more practice at it, too. It is a skilled maneuver, but with Daddy, I'm just not strong enough to do it well.

So, I started thinking about Assisted Living homes vs Nursing Homes last night. I really don't think an Assisted Living place would take Daddy, but he's so mentally alert most of the time I hate the idea of a Nursing Home. I don't think I'm going to have a choice, though. We had visited just about every good Nursing Home in this area when we were caring for my mother and father-in-law, so I have a pretty good idea which ones to check for vacancies.

We have an appointment Tuesday with the Orthopedist, and his diagnosis of what's wrong with Daddy's arm will have a lot to do with where we go from there. If he puts Daddy's arm in a sling, we're in a mess. So, we'll get through the next few days as best we can, and go from there.

All this has been happening while I was supposed to be giving the Zelepar a fair trial. Considering how yucky my throat has been the last couple of weeks, and how much more work has been involved in taking care of Daddy, plus the extra stress of seeing him deteriorate, the Zelepar really hasn't gotten a fair trial. I'm not walking as well as I did with the Requip, but my stomach is definitely better. From recent reading I've done, I understand that this is the maximum dose of Zelepar, so that's not likely to improve, unless it's because of the increased stress, or because I had strep, and that effected my walking.

So at the moment, my thoughts are up in the air, with lots of questions, but no clear way to answer them right now.

Seeing My Doctors Sooner

I was quite surprised to not only be able to get an appointment with my Gastroenterologist this Friday, but I was also able to get one with my Neurologist next Tuesday. The Neurologist appointment really surprised me, as I know how long I've had to wait before to get one. I must have lucked up on one somebody had canceled, but I'm thankful for it, regardless of how I got it.

I'm hoping that, between the two appointments, a definite solution to my stomach problems can be found, and I also need to have a different sleep aide prescription besides Ambien.

The Friday appointment won't be a problem, because Frances comes on Friday's anyway, but I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that she can come on Tuesday. She's out of town right now, so I'll have to call tomorrow to work out the details. If she can't, then I'll have to start calling church members to find somebody who can sit with Daddy for us.

I want to thank you, friends, who put up with my daily moans and groans, to give me an encouraging word. I really need that encouragement right now. Our situation with Daddy has settled into pretty much of a routine, but there are still a lot of questions about what the future will hold. It's hard to imagine that he will recuperate from this episode and be able to live by himself again. But I keep reminding myself that he's "graduated" from Hospice once before. He really is amazing! Cantankerous, but amazing!!!

Ahhh To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

Thank goodness for Ambien. I called my Neurologist's nurse yesterday and explained the situation with Daddy. She called in the prescription, and I had a good night's sleep last night, for the first time in a week. Whew!! That felt good.

It will take me a few days to get over being so tired, I expect, but getting a good night's sleep will make a world of difference in what I can accomplish without being totally exhausted. Maybe I can even get back to practicing my Tai Chi in Daddy's living room. After going to all that trouble to learn it again, I sure don't want to forget it. And it's good for my balance and stamina, too.

I've been reading some articles lately that say Pilates is good for PWP (people with Parkinson's), so that may be the next thing I look into. I haven't been able to figure out from what I've read if these were specially modified Pilates classes or not. Of course, it would make a big difference if they were. Speaking of PWP, I've also found that Parkinson's folks call themselves Parkies. Ain't that cute? So I'm a PWP and a Parkie now.

One of the Hospice people tried unsuccessfully several times yesterday afternoon to call us from her cell phone. We live in the middle of nowhere, as far as cell coverage is concerned. "Can you hear me now" just won't work out here. In fact, we had Verizon, and dropped it, because we couldn't get it to work at all LOL. She never did come, and we never did get to talk to her, either.

I'm considering ordering DSL for here, so I don't have to depend on my cell phone while I'm on the computer. Plus, for some reason, the program our church uses for editing our website just won't let me FTP from here on dialup. It works fine at the house on DSL. I'm the church webmaster, and that has to be updated weekly.

As you may be able to tell, I'm in a pretty good mood today. It's been over a week since he fell, and we've developed somewhat of a routine. Now that I know I will be able to sleep, I feel like we can handle whatever comes, between the two of us. We've had plenty of care giving experience, and we have Hospice for support. Our daughters and church family will help where they can, and we have our faith in God to hold us in the good and the bad times. What more could we ask.

Your prayers and kind thoughts are always appreciated, too. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much!

The New Normal is Settling In

We're getting into something of a routine around here, so things are beginning to settle down. DH has been coming up each morning and helping in any way he can, as I get Daddy up and dressed, and we get breakfast going. Hospice has left the wheelchair, a bedside table, an emergency oxygen tank, and one of those oxygen maker machines that plugs in, for when we eventually need it. The bath lady comes out today, too. And his medicine should be coming via FedEx today, also.

We're taking turns going home for a few hours during the day, so I can take care of our Internet business and get packages ready to ship. And I can play with our cat for a bit, too. We live right down the street, so it's not that big a deal.

With all that settling down, my PD symptoms have come under control again, I'm happy to say. My only continuing problem is the lack of sleep, and I've given that long enough to get under control naturally. I'm calling the Neurologist today and see what he can prescribe, as I can't possibly continue at this rate indefinitely.

DH scrubbed and mopped the kitchen floor and brought our good vacuum cleaner up here last night, so we could give the carpets a good cleaning, too. We've got the time to do it, so we'll gradually get the house cleaned up. We've had to neglect it this last year, what with our daughter being in the hospital so much and then me being so sick. Daddy has always vetoed any suggestions at paying someone to come in and clean. Because he's blind, he really doesn't like strangers in the house, and I can understand that.

I'm not sure yet if we'll try to find some part time help to give us a day off or two, since Daddy is so uncomfortable with that. It really depends on how much we need it. We have to take care of ourselves, too, and time away from all this is part of that process.

Care Giving Ain't What It Used to Be

It's only been less than 4 years since we were care givers for my FIL, keeping him at home with the help of Hospice, after he had been in the hospital. He was in a very nice Assisted Living Home before then, because he resented us, probably for taking him out of his home, and we couldn't handle his violent outbursts. They never had any problems with him at the Assisted Living. It was an emotionally draining job, but one we have never regretted doing.

Here I am, just 4 years older, and taking care of Daddy has worn me slap out, thanks to PD. My dear hubby has really had to take up the slack and get much more involved in taking care of my Daddy than he would have had to, if I had not developed Parkinson's Disease. As an example, a couple of days ago my legs stayed wobbly all day long, even after I took my PD meds, and I didn't trust myself to help Daddy walk, so DH had to do it.

First off, the emotional stress of finding him Friday started me off "in the hole" so to speak, and my medicines never have been able to catch up.

Also, I've not been able to get a decent night's sleep at Daddy's. The same recliner that I slept in for several years when I stayed with Mama is no longer that comfortable to me, and that's the only place there is for me to sleep. So, I end up going to sleep early, waking up somewhere around midnight, and spending the rest of the night on the computer. Luckily, I've been dozing quite a bit on the computer during the rest of the night hours. But that's still a poor second to a good night's sleep.

So we decided the best thing to do was to try to get Home Health or Hospice here to give us some help. That's why we took Daddy to the doctor's Monday. Well, Dr. M. followed through, just as I expected him to. The Hospice nurse came today to admit Daddy, and I filled out all kinds of paperwork. They will be sending someone twice a week to help him bathe, a nurse will come by once or twice a week, and they will provide all Depends type products and most of his medicines, too. They're sending a wheelchair Friday, so we can take back the one we borrowed.

Daddy understands that I need the help, so he's being very agreeable to all this. She offered to send a hospital bed, but Daddy's not ready for that yet, so she said just let her know when he needed it. It's not a whole lot of help, but any is better than none, and with his age and all, he's bound to need more and more care from now on. This way, all the routines are in place, and he'll be used to the people coming and going and being in and out of the house. It should certainly make things easier for DH and me, knowing that he's being seen by a nurse each week.