Monday, November 28, 2011

Messing with meds

G has been dizzy and nauseous early in the morning for several days.

He thinks it's one of the drugs...I think it's high blood pressure. We may both be correct.

We took him off one drug which has dizziness as it's first side effect, and I am checking G's blood
pressure more often and giving additional meds if it's high.

After doing both, this was the first morning he said he felt well.

Tomorrow is cataract surgery, plus o/t and p/t. Busy day.

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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Scheduling appointments

G got 4 weeks of appointments for O/T (occupational therapy) and P/T (physical therapy), but
now we have some conflicts with dialysis.

Good thing the dialysis center is not as busy as they have been, so G can usually come in later and still
get his dialysis.

This is what he did today. He had O/T and P/T starting at 9:15. I dropped him off, but arranged to have
the VA van pick him up directly from therapy to dialysis. This saves me a lot of running around, which
I enjoy!

He will have cataract surgery next week (surgeon said no problem), and we also got an appointment with the
ENT D (ear, nose throat) Dr. for Dec. 1. G lost his voice shortly after the 2nd surgery, and he has not
regained it. Also, found out last week he is totally deaf in his right ear. So, maybe the ENT can find
out what's going on.

Lots of other stuff....G is walking more, but he thought his balance was worse the last couple of days.

We will have Thanksgiving here. Inviting some relatives in, so it should be fun, but hopefully not
too crazy.

They are predicting warm weather, close to 70, so I will enjoy that. I really hate
the short days and cold weather. Am afraid I have that SAAD problem, as well as the holidays
always make me think of those who are no longer with us.

We have lost several these last few years.

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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The calendar is full!

G went to the surgeon yesterday. "They" say the wound is looking good. I saw it looks like a moon crater...but
the Drs. say it looks good, is starting to heal.

They will let it heal from the bottom up, rather than top down, because this incision doesn't like to stay sewn shut.
Not sure why.

Anyway, I am getting better at playing "nurse" (not the fun kind of playing though), as the dressing must
be changed every day.

Have also got the cataract surgery rescheduled, assuming the surgeon will give their release for the surgery.

Also setting up classes for the Peritoneal Dialysis. I guess the class is a week long, from about 9 to 3 each day.
There is some debate when we can go to the class, as the catheter is still "buried", and the site must be
opened and the end of the catheter exposed.

Too much going on.

Gotta run as I just realized the bandage hasn't been changed today.

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Back to the emergency room

Tuesday G's incision started to open up again.

We saw it that evening when I changed the bandaged, so I went to Wallgreen's and bought some
"butterfly" bandages, in the hopes of closing it.

But of course it didn't really work, because it probably opened up due to infection.

G had dialysis on Wed., and he had the PA look at the incision, which by then looked worse, so after
dialysis we called the Dr. office. We didn't get a call back, but we knew we would be told to go to the
emergency room, which we did.

Once again3 emergency room people looked at it, before they called one of the residents who works
for the surgeon.

He packed it with some cotton, gave us a script for antibiotics, and told us the Dr. wanted to see us in
his office the next day. The surgeon wasn't in the hospital, he had some appointment himself.

Also, G was to have cataract surgery today, but the resident told us that would not be a good idea
due to possible infection. So, we had to cancel the surgery.

Bummer.

Today we went to the surgeon's office, they looked at it, it doesn't look infected now, but decided not
to stitch it up. It's a long story, but they will let it heal up by putting cotton in it every day, washing it,
etc. (which I get to do). It's certainly better than them insisting G be admitted to the hospital.

G already had an appointment next Monday to see the surgeon, so they will recheck it then.

At least we caught the infection in time. I forgot to ask if they got the results back from the blood work,
to check the white blood count. Maybe I should call the nurse now and ask her to check.

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Friday, November 4, 2011

Carotid Artery update

G saw the surgeon who did the carotid artery today. That surgical site looks good, and
has ever since the surgery, so it was just the routine follow up that is paid for by Medicare.

The surgeon said 3 months they will do an ultrasound on the right carotid, and if it is 80% blocked,
then he will do surgery on it.

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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

A Day at the Drs.

G and I spent the entire day at Drs...and the emergency room.

Sunday night G's surgical site for the fistula busted open.

It was really ugly, but not really bleeding, and it did not hurt, and did not look infected.

I asked for him to have the nurses at dialysis look at in Monday, but they didn't.

He had Drs. appts at the VA on Tuesday, one of which was the renal Dr., and she looked at it
and said we had to get into the surgeon that day.
So I called the surgeon's office, who said he was in surgery all day, and to go to the emergcy
room.
G. had OT therapy at 1:30, which I had already rescheduled once and was not about to
cancel, so decided we would go after that. Besides, I knew the surgeons would be in
surgery until at least 3:00.

Finally around 4:30 the surgeons showed up at the emergency room (after 4 other
people looked at it...lol). They cut off some bad stuff, and resewed it.

At least we get to cancel his appointment with the surgeon on Thursday, and make
another one for 2 weeks out.

Other than that G is doing OK. He isn't in pain, which is great. OT will start soon,
and then will also look at getting PT.

Busy, busy, seeing Drs...
That is our life!
'

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