Helping Those Who Care for Parkinson's Patients
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| My husband 65 yrs old, rigid pd for 15 years, is mobile 75%of day but his stamina has decreased greatly in the past year. He naps everyday and is in bed by 8:00. He started with a cough last Wed and we had a prescription cough med which helped until friday night. Sat a.m. he started running low grade temp, I called the internist on call (didn't know her) and she said to give him tylenol. I asked what I should do if he got worse and she said take him to a mediclinic. I was shocked by her suggestion and knew things might become worse because of the PD. By 4 that day, he could not sit up in bed to take tylenol, stand on his own, eyes were shut and he did not understand what I was saying to him. I was scared to put an aspirin in his mouth. I called his neurologist and he said to take him to the ER. He thought he had aspirated. By the time we arrived, his fever had broken. His son carried him to the car. they checked him out for infections, gave IV antibiotics and kept him overnight for observation. They found nothing. Now he is almost back to where he was before the fever. I can not believe the change that I saw in him. What a swing. Is this what happens as the PD progresses? I could not handle him on my own during this crisis and yet to have home health at this point in time is not really needed. should I be preparing for home health? What have others done to address these swings? |
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Anytime a PD pt becomes ill there is a dramatic increase in the symptoms. I am pleased to hear he has recovered. In the future I would suggest bypassing the internist unless you can speak to the one that is familiar with his medical history. Any sign of infection requires immediate attention. If you can't get ahold of his neuro just take him tothe ER. I don't think it is appropriate for a PD pt to be evaulated in a doc in a box because the physicians there just don't have the experience required to take care of a PD illness. There may come a time when you will require assistance at home but it sounds to me as if he is doing ok now. I would begin a search for good home health aides. Ask people that have used them. Now may be a good time to find people to help because the job market is so tight. It is better to be prepared than to have to come up with a fast solution. Good luck. |
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Annwood has given you wonderful advice. I would take my mom directly to the ER rather than to a doc in the box. My personal experience has been that even docs in the ER are not as familiar with PD patients & meds as one might expect. I wouldn't even expect docs at a walk in clinic to be experienced in dealing with complicated conditions such as PD. I HIGHLY encourage you to take annwood's advice & begin to search for good home health aides. I procrastinated about looking for someone to stay with mom because finances were tight & I kept hoping she would be okay alone a while longer. A couple of months ago I found myself suddenly scrambling to find someone when Mom was released from the hospital with advice that she not be left alone. I faced a number of problems in having to find someone quickly. I had to have someone immediately because I work full time. I didn't have time to "shop" around, interview & give thought to the best route to take. The thing that made the process most difficult was the fact I was mentally & physically exhausted. Mom had been hospitalized twice in less than 2 months, has numerous visits to various docs & her physical & mental conditions had deteriorated rapidly during that time. It was all happening so fast that I was barely able to function myself. At the present time we have someone with Mom during the day who we're all comfortable with but I have compiled a list of names & numbers I've found through friends & listings on cragislist just in case I have to find someone in addition to or in place of the current aide. If I never contribute anything else to other caregivers I hope I can help instill the importance of planning ahead & being prepared. I wish I hadn't procrastinated as far back as a year ago. One last piece of advice - if you decide to look for someone without going through an agency (which is almost twice as expensive) be sure to check them out thoroughly. I would want a criminal background check & at least 3 work references unless the person is someone referred to you by someone you know you can trust. I'm glad your husband is doing better. Best of luck to you in your search for home assistance. |
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| thanks for your comments. I would never take my husband to a doctor in a box and just can't believe the internist on call suggested it. I will seek immediate help whenever there is a sign of infection. Why is it that they always get sick over the weekend? Also, I have identified an agency for home health care which has been recommended by several caregivers. |
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my husband, the judge is 82 almost 83. he has had pd for at least 10 years. and has tremmers always in his right hand. but i imagine most of you would agree with me it can greatly worsen than when there is alot of tension or yelling or just strait out negative people around. he use to be on megga medicine as well some of the pills in great excess on a daily bases (sinemet, seleiline, neurotin ). since we moved out of the city, of noise and crime and into the country. my husband and I have greatly benefited sinse buying a beautiful 10 acre track in east texas with a 1 acre pond with a pretty fountain, and all sorts of wonderful pets, one of which is a lynx cat named T.C. who has also proven to be a great asset to combating this disease. you'd just have to have see my husband before living here and now. T.C. bring such laughterand tears to my husband and i when he desides to displays one of his many high spirited moments! that wild cat, with which we found in the woods could only have been sent by God, we are truely blessed! of coarse this is not to down size the pain and suffering of severe shaking, itching, phnumonia, insomnia, etc.from this horrible disease. but i do have to say and my husband does agree "lliving in these woods for the last three years out of the ten years he's been diagnosed with pd, by all reasoning his disease should have progressed alot more than it has". living in the woods with all its beauty and piece and quiet is definately one of my husband and I's defenses to keeping him well. |