Mom & Me Three Archive

...and I expect this post to be a short beginning regarding our trip of yesterday to consult with her Mesa PCP (who, this visit, was, happily and luckily, an FNP). Expect further posts on a variety of issues raised, settled, and settled with as the hours increase.
    First, some details about which some of you will be wondering:

• Hemoglobin On Friday 1/21/05: 10.2 - diagnosis, low, but high low, an improvement, good
• Labels are sometimes useful and revealed themselves to be invaluable yesterday: Two new, effective labels have been added to Mom's diagnoses. These labels actually explain a great deal in their definitions, which I will cover later. Mom suffers from:
  1. Anemia as a Result of Chronic Disease [this one explains a lot]; and
  2. Chronic Renal Failure [not as bad as it sounds].
  Thus, certain patterns are to be expected. When the FNP apprised me of these patterns, based both on her knowledge and her background of taking care of her mother (whose patterns are very similar to my mother's), I was astounded to realize I was looking at a portrait of Mom and her life as though it had been painted by Rembrandt.
• I am, once again, enjoined to back off on my statting: Measure only when a need appears and then only the appropriate measure; i.e., don't take a temperature unless a blood pressure or some other symptom indicates it might be necessary, since I've established a (admittedly dynamic) baseline.
• This is probably the most important detail of all: I now feel immensely relieved and relaxed. I know how Mom is most likely going to die. And, yes, she may very well have a good 5 more years, maybe a few more than that depending on how diet and lack of smoking bolster her natural (failing) immune system. More, much more, about this.
• I should keep her diet relatively low carb, especially refined carbs, but relax my standards regarding frequency and type, and, in some cases, amount. It is good to use sugar free candies and desserts, as well as sugared ones, more frequently than I've been doing. Keep up with the cranberry juice, supplements, etc.
• Maintain a somewhat flexible "no treatment" attitude.
• No more looking for internal bleeding.
• Possibly occasional transfusions, although the FNP was impressed that Mom hasn't had one since June of last year.
• Expect an increasing frequency of naps. Take a posture of relaxed alertness to this development.
• Encourage movement but don't harass. Take my cues from her (which I've been doing) while trying to extend her strength as long as possible.

    The visit with friends was spectacular, the highlight of the trip. Mom was very alert, her faculties of recognition were in good order, she enjoyed the surprises offered by a new environment and participated in them with enthusiasm; in some cases, the smoking, for instance, with too much enthusiasm. She has, fortunately, forgotten that she came close to chain smoking yesterday.
    In case the visited family peeks in here, she was particularly taken with whom she considered a newcomer, the late comer. She asked me several times on the way home who she was and in what way she was connected with MCF's family.
    She finally agreed that even though we paid for a day and used the motel room for 3 hours it was a good idea. She was shocked when I explained to her, upon her asking me how much we were paying for the room, that we were paying for a day. "Too bad you can't get rooms by the hour," she innocently observed.
    "Well, Mom, we could down on Van Buren and they come with a girl."
    Mom started, then laughed. "I already have a girl!"
    "Come to think of it, so do I!"
    She used the walker with slow aplomb even though it's been a couple of months since she's used it. She dozed in the doctor's office while we were waiting but came to splendidly when the FNP began the session.
    The FNP conducted a much needed, "Well, since you've come all this way, let's do the full review." Much was learned and much was accomplished. In case I haven't mentioned this, Mom will be having the following fluid draws up here once a month:

• CBC (already in force);
• Chem Panel highlighting electrolytes;
• Urinalysis to catch UTI's early, which, I've been informed, I can expect to recur.

    There's more to tell and I will in at least two more posts, one which will probably show up in Essaying the Situation. I'll post an alert here if that happens.
    To those of you who care, know that I feel as though I am embarking on this new phase of The Adventure of Mom as an Ancient One with both a lighter heart and step. Now that I know.
    Later.