Wednesday, April 14, 2004
I finalized...
...the Medicating Rhythm essay with a second and final addendum incorporating today's medication highlights.
I'm tired tonight. I'm waiting for the dryer to cycle out so I can start it one more time. Only one load today but I got to it late. I've been moving slow although not painfully. Despite being up and moving, I feel as though it has been a day of rest.
I took Mom's blood pressure tonight, the first time in a few nights. Her systolic remains high at 136. Her diastolic was very good, though, 72. This was after a relaxing leg rub from which she practically purred and a cigarette free half hour. As she moves around more I may start slipping her another 5 mg lisinopril in the evening. We'll see. I don't want her diastolic to drop below 60. It was right at 60 a couple of nights ago and her systolic was, I believe, 127. I can definitely see a need for regular blood pressure readings.
I'm also beginning to understand that, at the moment, the problem isn't her heart or her kidneys, it's her lungs. Her heart is blessedly strong but it is an 86 year old heart with a leaky mitral valve and it is having to pump harder than it may have expected to get enough oxygen circulating throughout her body. This can contribute to slow organ failure and a host of other problems. It's something to work on.
The FT and I compared 'mother notes'. Over the Easter weekend she traveled and tended to her mother. The FT feels that her mother, at 79, does not have the recuperative ability of my mother. Now that I think of it, I wish I'd had the presence of mind to mention that you never know. A year ago this time and two years ago, as well, I would not have put money on the possibility of my mother being alive the following year. Sometimes the will to live blows back through and catches everyone by surprise.
The FT did mention that through practicing FT on her mother she had increased her height above her own. She asked how tall Mom used to be and I responded, "5'4"." She thinks Mom might recover some of her lost height through some of the exercises included in the balance work. I am, well, guardedly optimistic but I can certainly see gentle yet marked improvements just within the last month. I like goal oriented treatment. It has the ability to take the "chronic" out of "chronic dis-ease".
I mention in the second addendum to the essay on how I manage my mother's medication something about asking for standing lab orders. I haven't done this yet but I've thought about it and the possibility becomes more practical the more I come to grips with the fact that we will be living in Prescott and receiving my mother's so called (not meant derogatorily) Primary Health Care through her physician in Mesa. I have often wished that it were possible to do in home tests for iron & TIBC, hemoglobin and hematocrit, and maybe BUN. A mini chem panel. Is this a possibility? Is it in the works?
Well, I'm not sure where tomorrow will lead except that we'll be going to The Valley. I expect Mom to be in good spirits. I expect to feel a little intimidated and anxious but I'm thanking ahead (from the coward in me) and trying to anticipate, well, hmmm, an optimistic outcome to our trip.
Later.
I'm tired tonight. I'm waiting for the dryer to cycle out so I can start it one more time. Only one load today but I got to it late. I've been moving slow although not painfully. Despite being up and moving, I feel as though it has been a day of rest.
I took Mom's blood pressure tonight, the first time in a few nights. Her systolic remains high at 136. Her diastolic was very good, though, 72. This was after a relaxing leg rub from which she practically purred and a cigarette free half hour. As she moves around more I may start slipping her another 5 mg lisinopril in the evening. We'll see. I don't want her diastolic to drop below 60. It was right at 60 a couple of nights ago and her systolic was, I believe, 127. I can definitely see a need for regular blood pressure readings.
I'm also beginning to understand that, at the moment, the problem isn't her heart or her kidneys, it's her lungs. Her heart is blessedly strong but it is an 86 year old heart with a leaky mitral valve and it is having to pump harder than it may have expected to get enough oxygen circulating throughout her body. This can contribute to slow organ failure and a host of other problems. It's something to work on.
The FT and I compared 'mother notes'. Over the Easter weekend she traveled and tended to her mother. The FT feels that her mother, at 79, does not have the recuperative ability of my mother. Now that I think of it, I wish I'd had the presence of mind to mention that you never know. A year ago this time and two years ago, as well, I would not have put money on the possibility of my mother being alive the following year. Sometimes the will to live blows back through and catches everyone by surprise.
The FT did mention that through practicing FT on her mother she had increased her height above her own. She asked how tall Mom used to be and I responded, "5'4"." She thinks Mom might recover some of her lost height through some of the exercises included in the balance work. I am, well, guardedly optimistic but I can certainly see gentle yet marked improvements just within the last month. I like goal oriented treatment. It has the ability to take the "chronic" out of "chronic dis-ease".
I mention in the second addendum to the essay on how I manage my mother's medication something about asking for standing lab orders. I haven't done this yet but I've thought about it and the possibility becomes more practical the more I come to grips with the fact that we will be living in Prescott and receiving my mother's so called (not meant derogatorily) Primary Health Care through her physician in Mesa. I have often wished that it were possible to do in home tests for iron & TIBC, hemoglobin and hematocrit, and maybe BUN. A mini chem panel. Is this a possibility? Is it in the works?
Well, I'm not sure where tomorrow will lead except that we'll be going to The Valley. I expect Mom to be in good spirits. I expect to feel a little intimidated and anxious but I'm thanking ahead (from the coward in me) and trying to anticipate, well, hmmm, an optimistic outcome to our trip.
Later.
