Jody,
Besides CMML, Dad has Kidney Failure, Enlarged Heart, Chronic C-Diff Colitis and now he has dementia. At the moment, the C-Diff is the most dangerous to him.
I don’t even know what to think about Dad’s condition anymore. One minute he is quite lucid, the next he isn’t lucid at all. When he was in hospital the Gerontologist checked for Alzheimer’s Disease but instead he found that Dad has Dementia and Septic Delerium. He has fallen down twice in the last 2 days. He has very little balance because he is dizzy all the time. His C-Diff infection has not returned since he came home from hospital 10 days ago and his antibiotics ran out on the weekend. He eats 6 oz of Activia yogurt everyday as prescribed by the doctors at the hospital. He is beginning to not want to eat it regularly but it is his only hope of erradicating the C-Diff germs from his intestines. We can’t seem to explain that to him and have him understand. He understands as soon as we explain something to him and he even discusses it with us and asks questions. Shortly afterwards he forgets ever having had the converstion with us. We had to cancel his appointment in Guelph with the Nephrologist for today. The first fall he had, 2 days ago, was a nasty one. He fell on ice and banged his head and shoulder. I think he dislocated his shoulder but he won’t let me take him to have it checked since he cannot remember falling. The car trip to Guelph today in this storm and then walking from the parking garage all the way to the second floor Medical Wing are too much for him. We are afraid that he will fall again and Mom and I are not strong enough to pick him up and carry him. Once he is on the ground he cannot get up on his own. Maybe he will be stronger next week. We have to see Dad’s Oncologist on Friday morning and then his Family Doctor on Friday afternoon. Between the two of them, I will find a way to get them to look at his shoulder and head while he is there. The difficult part with Dad right now is that he is weak enough that he needs help but he has enough strength to be stubborn. I admire him for it but sometimes it makes it hard to convince him that we can help him. Because he is lucid alot of the time, we can’t just insist and force him to do anything. The doctor’s office keeps telling me that he is an adult and an individual. As long as he does not want treatment, we must respect that and leave him be. So, until Friday all we have are A-535 and a heating pad.
The Oncologist actually requested to see Dad on Friday morning so that has me worried. I hope he didn’t see something is a blood test that he doesn’t like.
Mom just phoned me…..To top off the week, their furnace broke down last night on the first wintery night we have had since before Christmas. Their house is ice cold and Dad cannot regulate his body temperature at the best of times. The repairman can’t come over until late thisafternoon and even so, he thinks that they have to replace the furnace so they may not have heat for a few days. Good thing we postponed the Nephrologist.
Caroline
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