Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Test results are up...
...for yesterday's blood draw. As a reminder, she is no longer leaving a monthly urine sample since now she's on the Macrodantin. I do have a holding prescription for a urine culture (and a prescription for Levaquin) in case she contracts a breakthrough infection but I'm assuming I won't have to use either for some time, maybe never again.
So, she looks good. Very little change, nothing out of order. I do have one glitch to mention in the results regarding the Lymphocyte reading: The Prescott lab gives no range for this particular result but posted her "Out of Range". Since she is securely in range for Mesa I can't imagine what the Prescott lab's range results are so, while I posted it "Out of Range", I haven't any idea whether the Prescott lab would consider it a high or low reading. My guess is "low" but since she's in range for Mesa I'm not worried.
Mom's been up once this morning, about an hour ago. I was excited. I assumed this meant that since she went to bed so early last night she was up for the morning. Wrong again. She's gone back to bed. She looked good though, and sounded good. I'll let her sleep for awhile I guess. If she's not up by 1100 I'll rustle her up and out.
I want to mention an addendum to a part of last night's post in the form of a note I scribbled to myself while I was contemplating what to do about my mother's lethargy (forgive me quoting myself): "When parenting a child, the guardian teaches the guarded how to proceed; When caring for an Ancient One, the guarded teaches the guardian how to proceed." This makes sense to me. On occasion parents need to observe their children and adjust their raising techniques. For the most part, though, the learning transpires from parent to child. When one cares for an Ancient One it is most often the guardian and protector who learns from the guarded and protected how to adjust caring techniques according to the Ancient One's state at any particular time.
This, I think, is one of the most significant differences between parenting a child and caring for an Ancient One. It is also one of the more difficult challenges facing a caregiver to an Ancient One; just as it is one of the more difficult challenges facing a parent. There is, though, much more literature and support bolstering parents needing to adjust techniques to their child than there is for caregivers needing to adjust techniques to their ward. I think this is primarily because all parents have been children but very few caregivers have been Ancient Ones. As I mention in What if I Told You..., being An Ancient One precludes the possibility of having a mentor, as no one makes it out of this stage of life alive. Pay attention to your Ancient One, caregivers; although you know lots about being human and some of that knowledge will serve you well in your caregiving tasks, watch yourself because you know nothing about being An Ancient Human. Remember that the demographic of the elderly is the one demographic that displays the largest (hence the most confusing and bewildering) differences from individual to individual. If someone else's advice seems suspect to you when considering it in the context of your own Ancient One, trust your suspicions and look to your Ancient One for clarification. This isn't easy but it's necessary and will ultimately render your job less frustrating.
So, she looks good. Very little change, nothing out of order. I do have one glitch to mention in the results regarding the Lymphocyte reading: The Prescott lab gives no range for this particular result but posted her "Out of Range". Since she is securely in range for Mesa I can't imagine what the Prescott lab's range results are so, while I posted it "Out of Range", I haven't any idea whether the Prescott lab would consider it a high or low reading. My guess is "low" but since she's in range for Mesa I'm not worried.
Mom's been up once this morning, about an hour ago. I was excited. I assumed this meant that since she went to bed so early last night she was up for the morning. Wrong again. She's gone back to bed. She looked good though, and sounded good. I'll let her sleep for awhile I guess. If she's not up by 1100 I'll rustle her up and out.
I want to mention an addendum to a part of last night's post in the form of a note I scribbled to myself while I was contemplating what to do about my mother's lethargy (forgive me quoting myself): "When parenting a child, the guardian teaches the guarded how to proceed; When caring for an Ancient One, the guarded teaches the guardian how to proceed." This makes sense to me. On occasion parents need to observe their children and adjust their raising techniques. For the most part, though, the learning transpires from parent to child. When one cares for an Ancient One it is most often the guardian and protector who learns from the guarded and protected how to adjust caring techniques according to the Ancient One's state at any particular time.
This, I think, is one of the most significant differences between parenting a child and caring for an Ancient One. It is also one of the more difficult challenges facing a caregiver to an Ancient One; just as it is one of the more difficult challenges facing a parent. There is, though, much more literature and support bolstering parents needing to adjust techniques to their child than there is for caregivers needing to adjust techniques to their ward. I think this is primarily because all parents have been children but very few caregivers have been Ancient Ones. As I mention in What if I Told You..., being An Ancient One precludes the possibility of having a mentor, as no one makes it out of this stage of life alive. Pay attention to your Ancient One, caregivers; although you know lots about being human and some of that knowledge will serve you well in your caregiving tasks, watch yourself because you know nothing about being An Ancient Human. Remember that the demographic of the elderly is the one demographic that displays the largest (hence the most confusing and bewildering) differences from individual to individual. If someone else's advice seems suspect to you when considering it in the context of your own Ancient One, trust your suspicions and look to your Ancient One for clarification. This isn't easy but it's necessary and will ultimately render your job less frustrating.
