If it's not one thing...

[jenepherre]

Huge thanks to everyone for their well wishes on my last post.  It must have helped - no pus pockets here!  It was 'just' a cold, although I feel like I'm still recovering from it.  I've just been exhausted and sleeping a ridiculous number of hours a day - though never more than 2 or 3 hours at a time UGH.  Add to that my monthly loathing of my uterus and my gradually increasing problems - back, neck and chest pain and headaches - due to my over-sized boobs... and things aren't fun physically.  But... that's all taking a back seat for the moment. 

Mom spent most of the day in the emergency room today.  Her blood pressure was really low (74/46) and she was really dizzy and lightheaded and nauseated.  They gave her IV fluids and did a ton of lab work and got her BP back up into the normal range.  The lab work really didn't show anything that just jumped out and said "this is what caused the drop in BP."  There were a few levels that were slightly off, but nothing really significant.  She's home tonight, but still not feeling well and has a doctor's appt. tomorrow.  I've had major issues with her doctor's prescribing habits for years now, and the fact that he's had her on BP medicine when she hasn't had high blood pressure in quite some time and has never had excessively high blood pressure makes me especially irritated now.  I've never met the man, but I plan to tomorrow.  One way or another, I'm going to that appointment with her.  I've been 'threatening' to accompany my Mom to one of her doc appointments for a long time now, and this ER visit today was the last straw.  There have been all sorts of other medication issues too, but I won't get into all that here.  My Dad sees this same doctor and has had the same kinds of problems with prescribing issues.  Nothing illegal, mind you.  Just an excessive belief in 'better living through chemicals' and dosing and drug choices that constantly make us all go "huh?"  So we'll see what he has to say tomorrow.

Now, I must try to get some decent, restful sleep.  Drugs will probably be necessary.

Comments

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I did go, and boy am I glad I did. But like I mentioned to Lois above, my Mom is a registered nurse. She has a lot more medical training than I do. I was a pharmacy technician for 10 years, so I might know more about drugs, but still... she ought to be able to stand up to him. I probably won't go with her every time she sees him, but I will be going more often and keeping on top of her meds here at home too. Same with my Dad, who sees the same doctor and is also on a bunch of meds he doesn't need.

I'm glad you and your sister are able to help your Mom out with her appointments. Was the role reversal a little unsettling for you at first? It is for me. But I'm glad it's something I can do to help them.

Thanks for the kind words. :-)

[mellicat1963.livejournal.com]

Yes it has been unsettling. Still is. Every time I have to take over another task for her it is like a splash of cold water on my face. It's like I'm slowly losing her, little pieces at at time.
Up until now I have been letting her make her own drs appts and tell me when they are so I can take her, but the last few times she would make them, then forget when they were and not be able to find where she wrote them down. So it looks like I'm going to have to start scheduling her appts for her.
She still handles her own bank accounts, but I know it's coming to a day when I'm going to have start helping with that too.
So yeah, it is very unsettling. But I just keep telling myself that she took care of me when I needed it, and now it's my turn to care for her.

Take care
:)