Wednesday, January 12, 2005
She's got another UTI.
I didn't discover it until 1345 this afternoon. Her urine was clear in her underwear this morning and clear when she urinated while we bathed her but when she urinated just before we settled down to a movie this afternoon there was blood in her urine. I noticed this morning that her urine had a stronger smell than usual, almost antiseptic, but thought it must have been because of the vinegar in dinner last night. I'll not forget that smell now, since it was probably symptomatic of the UTI.
Instead of taking her into the Urgent Care Clinic in Prescott Valley I had some pretty powerful antibiotics left over from the UTI she redeveloped in the hospital in June, 2004: 875 mg tablets of Augmentin X2/day. We had leftovers because when she visited her PCP soon after the hospital stay he pronounced those "too powerful for the elderly" and put her on 250 mg Levaquin X1/day. Anyway, knowing that the leftovers were prescribed for a UTI (which I'm sure was and is e coli) I decided to cut the tablets (which are huge) in thirds and administer one per day for 10 days. That will take us to her appointment next week with her PCP, where I'll ask for a standing as-needed prescription of 250 mg Levaquin X1/day to be honored for a six month period until our next regularly scheduled appt.
Although I didn't mention it, a couple of days ago she was in the bathroom when I was outside doing storm cleanup and wiped herself with the inside of a clean pair of paper underwear. The reason I discovered this is that I'd taped up the flusher with duct tape. When she was done she stood at the door and called me to come "fix the toilet, it won't flush". I noticed, when I fished the diaper part out, that there was fecal matter on it but there was no fecal matter in the toilet. At that point I probably should have cleaned her myself but I didn't, figuring that she must have gotten everything and what would be the use since it annoys her to have me clean her and she probably got everything. I guess she didn't or she spread around what she did get. Sometimes you can't micro manage every incident that could use micro managing. I guess I'll be more careful next time I discover she's taken to wiping herself with whatever she can find in the bathroom.
Otherwise, the day seems to be going well. I got to Costco and back by 1100. By the time I got everything put away Mom was on her elbows ready to arise and in a good mood. She's feeling a little punk right now; probably the UTI and the antibiotics: She's got an excuse to take a nap.
She wasn't enjoying the movie: Born on the 4th of July. I've never seen it (I know, bizarre, huh, since I've seen almost every other movie connected with Vietnam) and we got it in a two-for-one deal at Costco with a movie in which we both were interested (at the moment I can't remember what the other movie was). So, I'm going back to the movie, see if I can't finish it off before she wakes up.
In afterthought regarding A Price Above Rubies: I'm finding, in post viewing, that the performance I am remembering and over which I'm marveling most is Julianna Margulies performance as Rachel, Sonia's sister-in-law. Damn! That woman can act!
Later.
Instead of taking her into the Urgent Care Clinic in Prescott Valley I had some pretty powerful antibiotics left over from the UTI she redeveloped in the hospital in June, 2004: 875 mg tablets of Augmentin X2/day. We had leftovers because when she visited her PCP soon after the hospital stay he pronounced those "too powerful for the elderly" and put her on 250 mg Levaquin X1/day. Anyway, knowing that the leftovers were prescribed for a UTI (which I'm sure was and is e coli) I decided to cut the tablets (which are huge) in thirds and administer one per day for 10 days. That will take us to her appointment next week with her PCP, where I'll ask for a standing as-needed prescription of 250 mg Levaquin X1/day to be honored for a six month period until our next regularly scheduled appt.
Although I didn't mention it, a couple of days ago she was in the bathroom when I was outside doing storm cleanup and wiped herself with the inside of a clean pair of paper underwear. The reason I discovered this is that I'd taped up the flusher with duct tape. When she was done she stood at the door and called me to come "fix the toilet, it won't flush". I noticed, when I fished the diaper part out, that there was fecal matter on it but there was no fecal matter in the toilet. At that point I probably should have cleaned her myself but I didn't, figuring that she must have gotten everything and what would be the use since it annoys her to have me clean her and she probably got everything. I guess she didn't or she spread around what she did get. Sometimes you can't micro manage every incident that could use micro managing. I guess I'll be more careful next time I discover she's taken to wiping herself with whatever she can find in the bathroom.
Otherwise, the day seems to be going well. I got to Costco and back by 1100. By the time I got everything put away Mom was on her elbows ready to arise and in a good mood. She's feeling a little punk right now; probably the UTI and the antibiotics: She's got an excuse to take a nap.
She wasn't enjoying the movie: Born on the 4th of July. I've never seen it (I know, bizarre, huh, since I've seen almost every other movie connected with Vietnam) and we got it in a two-for-one deal at Costco with a movie in which we both were interested (at the moment I can't remember what the other movie was). So, I'm going back to the movie, see if I can't finish it off before she wakes up.
In afterthought regarding A Price Above Rubies: I'm finding, in post viewing, that the performance I am remembering and over which I'm marveling most is Julianna Margulies performance as Rachel, Sonia's sister-in-law. Damn! That woman can act!
Later.
