Saturday, October 15, 2005
Strange days, I guess...
...is my excuse for not recording here for some days. Part of my lack of journaling diligence is due to company but part of it is due to a dreamy mood I've been in since just before the visit. Can't really explain the parameters of the mood except that I feel as though something is percolating inside me but hasn't yet reached the surface, so I've been doing all sorts of other activities in order to allow that something it's "space".
The visit went well, although some definition is needed here and will be forthcoming. There was an incident that provoked some very specific thoughts about relatives who are uninvolved in caregiving attempting to "help". I'm working on that post over here, although when it's done I'll probably transfer it to the essay section.
Something, though, I want to mention before I forget for my own reference: MPS told me the history of a man of whom she knows through the daughter who is taking care of him. He is An Ancient One who "suffers", as does my mother, from Anemia Due to Chronic Disease which was most likely pre-diagnosed as Iron Deficiency Anemia. MPS related to me that his anemia is treated with frequent (every couple of months, sometimes more) blood transfusions. The man's daughter reported to MPS that at first he always felt remarkably better after the transfusions. As time pssed, though, this changed. He is now at the point where he feels worse immediately after the transfusion, a day or so after receiving blood he revives a bit then continues his downward anemic trajectory and, as well, he hates the procedure. MPS explained that this is typical of people who are receiving frequent transfusions. Here is my interpretation of her explanation: Blood is rather like an organ in that outside blood can be rejected and the blood can (and not uncommonly does) carry foreign agents which can deleteriously affect the health of the transfused. As well, transfused blood can cause the body to work hard to protect itself from a build-up of "antigens", a build-up which is impossible to prevent in the case of transfusions. Thus, while the transfusions may elevate one's anemia indices, each transfusion also elevates the level of internal physical stress and strife and, transfusion after transfusion, make a sense of physical well being harder and harder to come by.
In the case of my mother, knowing this information is a great relief to me. I am sure, now, that I am handling her anemia as it should be handled for her. Although there are risks, as well, to continuous high doses of iron, for my mother these risks are much easier on her than the continual transfusion scenario outlined above.
Since MPS related this to me I've wondered:
Mom isn't exactly recovering from the visit anymore but today has been a very low key day for her, as was yesterday. We've been watching videos and she's been "catching up" on her sleep. I'm hoping to get her to Walmart tomorrow to pick out a new watch. She magnetizes all but Timex watches and Walmart has a fair selection of this brand. When I suggested this to her earlier her response was, "We'll see." Not promising, but today is not tomorrow.
If you've been to Mom's Daily Tests & Meds you'll notice I'm a day or so behind. I'm hoping to make stat ketchup tonight. In case you're wondering, her blood glucose has been doing fine but she's having an episode of elevated (for her) blood pressure, although it doesn't appear to be connected to a CHF episode. Could be because she's a bit backed up. If she doesn't have a significant bowel movement this evening I'm going to send her to bed with yet another dose of laxative; haven't decided yet which one.
I've also got a few more entries to make in Movies, Mom & Me. Maybe I'll get to all this sometime this weekend. Tonight, though, my plan is to do Mom's hair and talk up the possibility of A Walmart Experience tomorrow. My dreaminess has involved me retiring earlier than usual after Mom retires which truncates my journaling. This may continue to be the case tonight.
Strange days, I guess...
The visit went well, although some definition is needed here and will be forthcoming. There was an incident that provoked some very specific thoughts about relatives who are uninvolved in caregiving attempting to "help". I'm working on that post over here, although when it's done I'll probably transfer it to the essay section.
Something, though, I want to mention before I forget for my own reference: MPS told me the history of a man of whom she knows through the daughter who is taking care of him. He is An Ancient One who "suffers", as does my mother, from Anemia Due to Chronic Disease which was most likely pre-diagnosed as Iron Deficiency Anemia. MPS related to me that his anemia is treated with frequent (every couple of months, sometimes more) blood transfusions. The man's daughter reported to MPS that at first he always felt remarkably better after the transfusions. As time pssed, though, this changed. He is now at the point where he feels worse immediately after the transfusion, a day or so after receiving blood he revives a bit then continues his downward anemic trajectory and, as well, he hates the procedure. MPS explained that this is typical of people who are receiving frequent transfusions. Here is my interpretation of her explanation: Blood is rather like an organ in that outside blood can be rejected and the blood can (and not uncommonly does) carry foreign agents which can deleteriously affect the health of the transfused. As well, transfused blood can cause the body to work hard to protect itself from a build-up of "antigens", a build-up which is impossible to prevent in the case of transfusions. Thus, while the transfusions may elevate one's anemia indices, each transfusion also elevates the level of internal physical stress and strife and, transfusion after transfusion, make a sense of physical well being harder and harder to come by.
In the case of my mother, knowing this information is a great relief to me. I am sure, now, that I am handling her anemia as it should be handled for her. Although there are risks, as well, to continuous high doses of iron, for my mother these risks are much easier on her than the continual transfusion scenario outlined above.
Since MPS related this to me I've wondered:
- Whether the man was ever treated with iron supplementation and, if so, was he treated with anything besides ferrous salts which, although they are currently physician's favorites are also the hardest iron supplements on the body and have the lowest absorption rates;
- Whether this man and his daughter experienced medicine's ridiculous insistence on "looking for internal bleeding" in the elderly with chronic anemia and whether and how far they assented to it?
- Whether either the man or his daughter have looked for alternative sources of information on Anemia Due to Chronic Disease and treatments for it?
- How long it took medicine to finally back off and identify his ailment as Anemia Due to Chronic Disease?
- Whether it was a physician who finally backed down or whether it was some other medical professional, like my Wondrous FNP, who has less invested in leaving a diagnosis open.
Mom isn't exactly recovering from the visit anymore but today has been a very low key day for her, as was yesterday. We've been watching videos and she's been "catching up" on her sleep. I'm hoping to get her to Walmart tomorrow to pick out a new watch. She magnetizes all but Timex watches and Walmart has a fair selection of this brand. When I suggested this to her earlier her response was, "We'll see." Not promising, but today is not tomorrow.
If you've been to Mom's Daily Tests & Meds you'll notice I'm a day or so behind. I'm hoping to make stat ketchup tonight. In case you're wondering, her blood glucose has been doing fine but she's having an episode of elevated (for her) blood pressure, although it doesn't appear to be connected to a CHF episode. Could be because she's a bit backed up. If she doesn't have a significant bowel movement this evening I'm going to send her to bed with yet another dose of laxative; haven't decided yet which one.
I've also got a few more entries to make in Movies, Mom & Me. Maybe I'll get to all this sometime this weekend. Tonight, though, my plan is to do Mom's hair and talk up the possibility of A Walmart Experience tomorrow. My dreaminess has involved me retiring earlier than usual after Mom retires which truncates my journaling. This may continue to be the case tonight.
Strange days, I guess...
