Monday, November 22, 2010

Caring for your Parents ~The Post I Don't Want to Write



My friend Fadra of All Things Fadra started a meme that asks you to write for 5 minutes and don't edit, just write.  Since I've always been a little bit of a rebel I am writing on a Monday in hopes of getting through the post I don't want to write.  Please forgive me if this is rambling or non-sensical.

My dad is one of my best friends.  Weird, huh.  We live next door to my parents which is a little "Everybody Loves Raymond" but it works.  Actually it's our house, then a few acres with a barn and pasture, then their house.  We aren't right on top of each other, but we are close enough to help out in a crisis.  This fall we have found ourselves in a crisis.  My dad has terrible arthritis and extreme muscle tightness.  In an effort to help with some of his joints, he has had his right hip replaced and was scheduled to get his left hip replaced at the beginning of October.  Unfortunately, his right knee sort of crumbled underneath him so he switched from having his left hip replaced to having his right knee totally replaced.  Just information here, the knee is a much tougher recovery than the hip.  Someone with medical knowledge can tell us why, but the knee is MUCH tougher. 

The surgery went just as expected, but post surgery is when life got really interesting.  I stayed with my dad in the hospital at night.  The anesthesia and pain medicine threw him for a loop.  He would wake up(sort of) and think he had to be someplace and start trying to get out of bed.  When I broke the bad news that he couldn't get out of bed and tried to get him settled back down he would become very agitated and anxious.  Then they tried to treat the anxiety which you would think would help him sleep but he just had weirder dreams and episodes.  He spent a few days at a nursing home/rehab facility until he fell and we discovered they had been medicating him even more.  We brought him home. 

He improved and was going to physical therapy at an amazing facility not too far from where we live.  About a week ago we went to see his psychiatrist (he was being treated for depression/anxiety) and that doctor told him that he was experiencing episodes of delirium and was susceptible to dementia.  Then proceeded to eliminate any drugs that might aleviate the anxiety dad was experiencing.  He told dad about a book that would help him.  I don't know if any of you have ever experienced a panic attack, but the last thing you want at that point and time is to read a book.  The next day we saw his orthopedic doctor who said he was progressing nicely, the knee looks great.  That night my mom told me that Dad had felt weak when he was walking across the room.  The next morning I was out at breakfast when my mom called and told me that Dad had fallen.  Fortunately he didn't hurt himself, but he is a tall guy and with his lack of flexibility he could not get up.  My husband and my brother and I had to get him up and back into his chair.  (my mom actually broke his fall, fortunately she was okay)
He swears that he didn't actually lose consciousness, but I am not so sure.  Later that afternoon he fell again.  (this time a very soft chair broke his fall~at least he's good at falling)

I wanted him to go to the hospital.  I admit that I was worried about him having a stroke or something along those lines.  He has a very intense fear and dislike of hospitals and I let him talk me out of it.  We made an appointment with his primary care doctor for the next morning and agreed that if he fell again the first call was going to be to 911.  My sister came in town the next day for the doctor's appointment.  The doctor was a little dismayed at the committee of people there for the appointment.  He agreed that Dad should be referred to a neurologist and ordered other basic radiology tests and blood tests to rule out things.  He made the mistake of saying that my dad had been dealing with "malaise and increasing frailty."  Friends, my dad is 73.  He is no spring chicken, but he should not be dealing with the health issues that he is, unless there is a cause beyond aging.

So that's where we are.  Waiting to see a neurologist on December 16th.  If you are a neurologist this is clearly a great market so please move here.  Have an appointment with a cardiologist after that.  I am torn between not wanting them to find anything, and wanting them to find something that is treatable.  I would love for him to have an answer beyond "you have the tightest muscles we've ever seen"  I know that tight muscles doesn't sound like a big deal, but his are ridiculously tight.  Some of his muscles in his legs feel like steel cables they are so tightly contracted.  Words have been tossed around that are scary.  Parkinson's is one that I have investigated and as scary as all these words are, they are at least treatable.  My mom has forbidden us from talking about Parkinson's until we go to the neurologist.  I worry so much about her too because she isn't getting the sleep she needs.  I spent last Wednesday night with him and we were awake a significant portion of the night.  (of course I was brilliant and went to the midnight opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows~ I was TOAST on Friday.)

He seems to be stronger.  Last night Mom brought him to my house for the first time since before his surgery.  I want him to be okay.  I want him to be as well as he can be.  Maybe he is having delirium and maybe there is a neurological problem.  I just want him to be okay.  If you are the praying kind, would you say one for him?  And I will selfishly ask for prayer for myself.  This is a new road and navigating it is not easy.  Would you pray that I will know the best way to help him and my mom?

that went way too fast but at least I got the basics out. phew. Thanks to Fadra for hosting!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Advent Conspiracy ~ How do we celebrate?

Earlier today I was watching my good friend Molly of Go Mom on her Mom TV show.  Molly was discussing getting prepared for the holidays.  I am so grateful to her because her organization skills inspire me to be better prepared.  So Molly's show made me think about the holidays which inevitably leads to thinking about all of the hoopla that surrounds Christmas.  A few years ago, a friend sent me a video from a group called Advent Conspiracy and it resonated with me.  We all get videos and sometimes they are of someone's kids being funny or the antics of a cat.  This video is different.  I hope that you will take a look.  I am sharing the first video that came out several years ago, then an update that was done last year. 







I want you to hear me loud and clear.  I am not advocating NOT buying presents and decorating for Christmas.  I am advocating taking a look at what you and your family are doing and see what you can do to make your celebrations more relational and less commercial.  I still fully intend to buy video games for my children and my nieces and nephews, but I am also going to look for ways for us all to celebrate together that are not reliant upon cash.  I am also trying to figure out how to give back.  We try to shop for children off of the Salvation Army Angel Tree, but there are other things we can do.  I guess that's what I would love for us all to consider.  What can we take off of our schedule, that doesn't make sense for our families, to make room for ways to give back. 

I hope that whatever holiday you happen to celebrate, it is filled with Joy and Love


For more information about the "conspiracy" please visit Advent Conspiracy

Friday, November 5, 2010

Verizon Mifi 2200 Review

If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE gadgets.  It's a trait I inherited from my dad.  Imagine my delight when I was sent a Verizon Mifi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot to review.  I am a little late to the Mifi party, because they have been out for a little while.  It is a tiny device that you can use to connect to the internet.  I cannot adequately explain how much I love this tiny device.  I did a short video so you could see how small this thing is!!




Right now, at Verizon Wireless Online, the Mifi retail price is $269.99, with a new two year contract it's $99.99 plus you can get up to three select phones for free!  Now I just have to convince my husband it's a great deal, wish me luck!!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Disney Halloween ~ Wordless Wednesday

So much has happened in the last month that it's hard to know where to begin!  I'm giving myself a break for another day and posting a not so Wordless Wednesday picture from our spur of the moment trip to Disney World for Halloween.  We had a wonderful vacation, and one of the highlights was going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party with an amazing friend of ours who is working for Disney right now. 

DisneyPhotoImage6