@Former-Member @Maggie @Former-Member @Shaz51 @Faith-and-Hope @outlander @Zoe7 @Sophia1 @Peri @Starta
Thanks for your messages over the past month. I noticed after Darcys post this morning that I havent updated this thread in over a month. As is usual for me, I tend to go from Carer to Sufferer and cannot seem to concentrate of both at the same time. Lately its been a battle to get my own self on track, so I have posted to my Lived Experience thread rather than here. That doesnt mean I havent had challenges here however. As all carers would know, the responsibilities of a carer never seems to abate.
Yes thats right Darcy, my husband had another fall yesterday evening. No major damage, just a couple of skinned knees and a scrape on his forehead. He isnt sure exactly what happened, but he said he lost feeling in his legs earlier and put it down to that. Not sure, but its likely related to his Parkinsons Disease. Anyway ... he's okay. But it certainly shook him up, as falls do, even for those more fitter ones amongst us. So he has had a quiet day today, and I am keeping a close eye on him. I gave him a sleeping pill last night too to settle him down a bit. Then up for a light brecky, morning pills and then back for another sleep. He seems a bit better this afternoon.
Hubby has an appointment tomorrow with his GP and we will run through a few issues which are bothering me/him. Then we see his psychiatrist later this month to review where he's at. I'm glad to see that he is insisting on seeing him regularly. Admitedly I did inform him about hubbys previous talk of wishing he had been allowed to die! The additional AD he gave him last visit seems to have helped with his overall mood. He seems to be slightly less volatile, angry and depressed .. which is a big relief. And he even seems to be feeling a little more positive, and talking about his goal to visit his ailing Dad in Perth in coming months. Also this month, hubby has another appointment with the neurologist for further consultation re his Parkinsons. So there are a few things coming up for hubby this month. I'm hoping the neuro has some suggestions for further help, because currently hubbys mobility really has not improved. Some of the other side effects from the Parkinsons I can see some improvement, but not the actual mobility, which is disappointing. And I know it bothers him the most as well. His fall yesterday is just another example of his lack of mobility and how vulnerable he is to falls. Its only lucky that he hasnt had other falls.
With regards to my Mum and Dad. Well ... they are still both at home, but are struggling. Dad still has a cut toe which is taking forever to heal. But he is going to their local hospital to get it dressed every week. My Mum continues to suffer quite a bit of pain with her spinal fractures, and is finding that being home (as opposed to being in the nursing home and doing nothing) is not as easy as she'd hoped. My Dad has not had a shower in the 6 weeks since they checked themselves out of the nursing home. Yikes! Not a nice thought at all. Dont know if its that he doesnt feel capable of doing so, or whether Mum is not capable of insisting he have one and helping him do so. Either way, despite my brother organising it, they have refused a visiting nurse. They dont want anyone in their house to help them with showers, medications, toe dressings, INR readings, etc. This is all so frustrating. I can see from photos my brother has texted me that they are totally screwed up with their webster medication packs. Ahhhh .....
My brother? Well, thats another story. Christmas is a difficult time for him and his remaining family. You never get over the loss of your child, and Emma would have been 14 by now, 3 years after passing away in a tragic freak car accident. Still a child and still with a love and excitement for Christmas. So in the leadup to Christmas, he was trying to phone me. He often phones me when he is particlarly low and feeling suicidal, often just needing to talk.
Unfortunately it coincided with a power outage here after a severe storm the Thursday before Christmas. So we had no power for 3 full days as they rebuilt a section of poles and wires. So no power and therefore (thanks to NBN) no landline phones. Our mobile coverage here is dodgy at best, and once there is no battery left, no way of recharging. So we were without phones for most of the 3 days as well. Added to my concerns at the time was that the second day of the power blackout (no mobile charge left) hubby was extremely sick. No idea what brought it on, but he had a severe bout of vomiting and diarrhea .. it really cleaned him out over a 24 hour period. I was concerned that if he got worse overnight I would have no way of calling an ambulance for assistance. That was worrying. But thankfully he slowly recovered, but it really knocked the stuffing out of him for several days afterwards. I wondered if he may have been bitten by a spider or something, but he said he didnt think so. I checked his arms etc for signs or redness or itchiness. But unfortunately as a result of his immunotherapy treatment for cancer, he still has an ongoing rash all over his arms and torso, which is red and itchy. So its difficult to tell. Apparently many of the side effects of the immunotherapy can last for a year or more after the treatment ceases. Its been 8 months since he had his last infusion now. Fingers crossed that the protection it provides for the Melanoma also lasts!
Okay so thats about it when it comes to the caring side of my life. The rest I will leave to my personal PTSD thread.
Oh, I guess I am also a carer to my little dog Holly. She is good, as always! Although she has shown signs of arthritis in her shoulder the past couple of months. I've started giving her a daily chewy thing containing glucosamine. It looks just like the tick/flea treatment chews ... which she refuses to eat ... even though the advertising on TV says your dog will love them! But thankfully these glucosamine chews ... she loves them! I hope it makes a difference for her. I will be watching carefull to see.
Sherry 
