Helping Those Who Care for Parkinson's Patients
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So mom was invited to her nephew's 60th birthday party. It was at 5pm today, and that's about the time she starts moving into off time. So I added 1/8 to 1/4 extra sinemet on top of her doses of Rytary, starting every hour at noon today. She also gets anxious when anticipating a social event, so the Parkinson's gets worse (at least in terms of being "off"). ... She tried to back out a couple times today, but by 4pm she was a little better. She was slow again between 5 and 6 at the party, but at 6pm I gave her a little less than 1/2 a sinemet. Then same at 7pm. She was slow and complained of being cold, but by 7 she was smiling a lot and talking to people, even though there was live music and everyone talking, so it was difficult to hear her (or anyone else, really, but she tends to whisper anyway). ... I got her to stay until 8:15 or so, and she did have a good time. I did too. We never go anywhere or do anything. It was weird that by literally seconds after we got home, she started with her verbalizing/mumbling, which usually indicates more "on" time than off (I've read that people with Parkinson's do better in familiar surroundings, but it still seemed weird that it was like a switch this time right as she walked through the door). She stayed up until 11:40pm. All that extra sinemet pushed her to stay up an hour or two later than she usually does, but it seemed to work (at least for a couple of hours at the party). ... Anyway, it's a small victory. |
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| Any victory is still a victory!! |
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Hello! Timing is everything, so they say. My husband is currently out with his best friend for lunch. I am alone. Other than once a month for my Traumatic Brain Injury group for two hours, I am never alone, and I rush to and from that group. I am giddy at being alone, and have found that I am starting to worry about him out there. This is hard to believe because I have almost lost my mind in the last month and a half. Greyeyed, you sure have got the care of your mother figured out down to a science. You should feel very proud that her life is richer because of your stellar care. Bravo! NoMatterWhat |
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The doctor switched her from Donepezil to Memantine. I hate to jinx it, but I think it might be working. Or at least starting to work. Last night we started watching "The Pitt" on Max, that new medical show with Noah Wyle from ER. I randomly said I couldn't remember much about the first episode of ER 31 years ago except that George Clooney was sleeping in one of the patient beds. And mom says, "And that nurse tried to kill herself with all those pills." ... And that memory came rushing back to me, and I realized...mom was RIGHT! LOL She can't remember yesterday, but she remembered that plot point from ER from 31 years ago. ... But then this morning she thought it was "Tuesday or Wednesday" (it's Monday), but I'll take what I can get. We don't get up to 2 pills a day until Friday. We've been increasing by 1/2 a pill each week, and the doctor said it may be a month after she gets up to a full dose before we see improvements. But I do think I see improvements here and there. |
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| Hubby does the same thing. Can't remember what day it is. He almost always gets it wrong. I worry about him all the time. But we accept whatever small victories come our way. |