This month has flown by, I must say. My hand is healing, but the scar hurts a lot and I still can’t lift any weight with it. I suppose it all takes time. I’m driving again, but turning the ignition key, putting in reverse, and pulling up the handbrake hurt a lot. The rest not so much, unless I have to turn the wheel a lot. Thanks for all those who sent prayers my way!
Thanks for the comments on my posts. I always try not to be too dark because I have a slightly dark humour. Once I read up on humour and dark humour is a way of dealing with life’s adversities. There is a saying in Portuguese, “Rir para não chorar” – Laugh so you won’t cry. And what is it that Proverbs says, “Laughter is the best medicine”? And there is that laughter therapy where you sit in groups and guffaw. Very strange, but still, if it helps, I’m for it. Speaking of humour, I’m trying to watch funny stuff on Youtube, just for laughs. I watched Absolutely Fabulously episodes and Eddie’s ‘sweetie, darling’ lines always make me chuckle. And I watch a Brazilian comedy show too called Casseta & Planeta. They have a sketch which reveals where Bin Laden is, in Rio, in one of the favelas, married to an indignant wife who is always thumping him over the head with a rolling pin. “Stop that silly terrorist stuff.” Thump.
Well back to mum…Right now, I am deciding whether to continue with mum’s vascular massages or not. If I do decide to continue, I will try to find someone to come to the house and do them as taking mum out in the car is too difficult. As well, the clinic has a high narrow bed which mum finds terrifying. We’re wondering if we can do the massages at home. If you carefully rub her feet upwards as she is lying down, her feet unswell, so if we do this 3 times a day surely that will help? Though at first I thought the massages were doing no good as her feet continued to swell, I now have a different opinion due to the amount of urine. In other words, mum is peeing a lot! We’re using 3 times as many diapers as we were before so it would seem as if the lymph system is working better and sending back the liquid. So now I think the massage is important. The question is how to organize the massaging. And speaking of diapers, I have to go this Saturday and buy them by the bulk. Usually I go every 3 months, this time, it’s a month since I bought the 2 huge packages. She’s using 8 diapers in 24 hours. This is a record!!
Last night, while sleeping, Mum scraped the inside of her leg and today it’s all black and blue with a blood blister. She scraped it on her own foot. Her skin is so tender now that it’s the hardest thing to do to keep her from hurting herself. The aids got very distressed when they saw this. They feel like they’ve done something horribly wrong when the fact is now it’s getting harder and harder to keep Mum’s skin intact. We put Dersane oil on all the time and Venalot creme to help the circulation.
This next week I am going to her geriatrician. I think I won’t take Mum, just use the appointment to ask questions about how to care of Mum – the massages, the skin, the constipation etc. On August 20th we go to the dentist to have mum’s tooth pulled. It’s the tooth that she broke a year ago almost and that the dentist wanted to fix. The geriatrician said not to because of Mum’s Parkinson’s. The position in the dentist chair for any length of time could cause her to aspirate saliva. The geriatrician wrote a letter explaining this to the dentist so I’ll be taking it to him.
I start classes on Monday. Back to the salt mines, as my dad used to say. Hope my students and I like each other!
So many issues with your own health and your Mom’s health. It is difficult having all these issues to deal with I am sure. Rest assured that you are being a great caregiver for your Mum. I also hope your hand is completely healed very soon.
Dilys,
If I had known that I was trading one pain for another, I’m not sure I would have done it. I suppose that’s why the doctors never tell us these things. You have so much to take care of with your mother. I’m glad you shared your YouTube idea. Since I teach technology, this is one of my favorites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ&translated=1
With regard to the hand: I feel your pain (literally).
Hope your classes go well.
Hi Karen, I watched it! So funny!!
Hi Dilys,
I’m glad you’re in the healing part of all of this, but so sorry you are in such pain. You continue to amaze me with all the solutions you look for in a given day. There is much problem solving to be done in caregiving! Take Care and I hope your year with your students begins strong. (: