Today's Stats:
Breakfast
In conjunction with my new "no more than 12 hours" night sleepiing rule, since she went to bed officially at a little after midnight (although she came out twice between midnight and 0030 to "check on things", she's so funny), I let her sleep until noon today. When she doesn't awaken of her own accord, it takes about 20 minutes to get her in an upright position, then another 10-20 minutes of cat petting, and conversation to get her in the bathroom. The above stats were taken after she was sitting on the edge of the bed with her feet flat on the floor. I no longer have the complaint that her blood pressure is high because she's been struggling up. I think, what's happened, is that, over the last several months I've become much less "push The Mom to good health" oriented and we've both relaxed.
Her feet will still a little pudgy this morning (they looked piggish last night, although she said they didn't feel uncomfortable and wiggled her toes to confirm what she'd said). I gave her 20 mg furosemide this morning just before bathing her, and I'll be pumping her with fluids, as I told her, to make sure she the excess fluid comes off gently. I remember that her last episode of feet and abdominal edema occurred in late summer of 2002 up here. I think the combination of altitude and her reaction to unusual heat and fluctuating atmospheric pressure all combine to throw her body into an internal "Start storing it, laddies," mode. This time, though, I know how to negotiate this without letting it get out of hand. Although I may be wrong, I don't think there is anything else that's kicking off this episode. She didn't have one last year, at this time, I don't think, but the weather was much, much cooler last summer and the monsoons weren't contributing to quite as many jumps in atmospheric pressure. I'm not to concerned. It would be nice is we didn't have to use furosemide much on her as she ages but, if we do, well, there are worse fates.
I noticed she was standing a little cockeyed this morning. I thought it might be that her knee was bothering her, but she said it was her back. I touched just below the small of her back and she indicated, yes, that was the place. I gave her one extra strength acetaminophen in an effort to comfort that area.
BM
Her Bowel Movement occurred at 1520: Very good volume, the rest of what she needed to eliminate yesterday; excellent consistency, no more shit rocks; fairly easy elimination, she reported that she had to "strain a little" to start evacuation but afterwards "it was easy". Very easy clean-up. So, while I'm typing this up, my mother is across the room from me in her rocker reading her tabloids. I asked her about whether she needed to strain for this movement. She gave me the above answers. I immediately typed what she told me. When I finished and looked up, she was giving me the "what the fuck are you doing?!?" eye.
I started laughing. Couldn't help it. "I'm writing for the "Bowel Movement Gazette, Mom," I said.
"I believe it," she replied. I've told her before that I write about her bowel movements. Whenever I tell her this she always gives me that mock "I'm concerned about your sanity" glance. I also turn her bowel movements into a humorous episode by displaying excitement and saying things to her like
"Remind me to do that," she said.
"Well, Mom, that might be a problem because, when I'm older than you, you'll be the font of memory for us."
"We'll be in trouble then, won't we!?!
"That's debatable. We won't know we're in trouble, so how much trouble could that be?"
"Right you are. Good way to look at it."
Dinner
We were deep in a conversation about getting a dog and I forgot to take her blood glucose before we began eating. I'm sure it was fine; if not normal than close to it.
I also gave her another 20 mg dose of furosemide. Her belly looked good, and she's been peeing to beat the band today, but her feet were still a little puffy. It should all come out in her night time wash.
Her appetite's been a little less robust than normal the last few nights, but she's been extremely inactive since the humidity set in, although not in bed more than usual. This weather's even been affecting me, lately. I've been diligent about making sure she sleeps no more than 12 hours over night and no more than 2 hours during her nap. She's not pale, though, or listless, which usually accompanies poor appetite if something's wrong.
I wish we could have had her blood draw done last week, but I don't think anything would have changed and, anyway, we'll have one done next week when that Rx is transferred back to our new/old PCP.
|
Blood Glucose: Time: 1221 Reading: 85 |
Blood Pressure: Time: 1229 BP: 122/60 Pulse: 63 |
In conjunction with my new "no more than 12 hours" night sleepiing rule, since she went to bed officially at a little after midnight (although she came out twice between midnight and 0030 to "check on things", she's so funny), I let her sleep until noon today. When she doesn't awaken of her own accord, it takes about 20 minutes to get her in an upright position, then another 10-20 minutes of cat petting, and conversation to get her in the bathroom. The above stats were taken after she was sitting on the edge of the bed with her feet flat on the floor. I no longer have the complaint that her blood pressure is high because she's been struggling up. I think, what's happened, is that, over the last several months I've become much less "push The Mom to good health" oriented and we've both relaxed.
Her feet will still a little pudgy this morning (they looked piggish last night, although she said they didn't feel uncomfortable and wiggled her toes to confirm what she'd said). I gave her 20 mg furosemide this morning just before bathing her, and I'll be pumping her with fluids, as I told her, to make sure she the excess fluid comes off gently. I remember that her last episode of feet and abdominal edema occurred in late summer of 2002 up here. I think the combination of altitude and her reaction to unusual heat and fluctuating atmospheric pressure all combine to throw her body into an internal "Start storing it, laddies," mode. This time, though, I know how to negotiate this without letting it get out of hand. Although I may be wrong, I don't think there is anything else that's kicking off this episode. She didn't have one last year, at this time, I don't think, but the weather was much, much cooler last summer and the monsoons weren't contributing to quite as many jumps in atmospheric pressure. I'm not to concerned. It would be nice is we didn't have to use furosemide much on her as she ages but, if we do, well, there are worse fates.
I noticed she was standing a little cockeyed this morning. I thought it might be that her knee was bothering her, but she said it was her back. I touched just below the small of her back and she indicated, yes, that was the place. I gave her one extra strength acetaminophen in an effort to comfort that area.
BM
Her Bowel Movement occurred at 1520: Very good volume, the rest of what she needed to eliminate yesterday; excellent consistency, no more shit rocks; fairly easy elimination, she reported that she had to "strain a little" to start evacuation but afterwards "it was easy". Very easy clean-up. So, while I'm typing this up, my mother is across the room from me in her rocker reading her tabloids. I asked her about whether she needed to strain for this movement. She gave me the above answers. I immediately typed what she told me. When I finished and looked up, she was giving me the "what the fuck are you doing?!?" eye.
I started laughing. Couldn't help it. "I'm writing for the "Bowel Movement Gazette, Mom," I said.
"I believe it," she replied. I've told her before that I write about her bowel movements. Whenever I tell her this she always gives me that mock "I'm concerned about your sanity" glance. I also turn her bowel movements into a humorous episode by displaying excitement and saying things to her like
- "Oh, very nice, let's save this one for awhile," in order to get her gently past the contingency of having to let her feces stew in the toilet, which she finds disgusting;
- "Bowel away," when I leave her to her business; which she always greets with a sardonic glance;
- "Bowel me over," as lopsided encouragement when she thinks she might have trouble eliminating.
- "Okay, turn your ass to me," when I clean her, because it scandalizes her that I use the words "ass".
"Remind me to do that," she said.
"Well, Mom, that might be a problem because, when I'm older than you, you'll be the font of memory for us."
"We'll be in trouble then, won't we!?!
"That's debatable. We won't know we're in trouble, so how much trouble could that be?"
"Right you are. Good way to look at it."
Dinner
|
Blood Glucose: Time: Not taken |
Blood Pressure: Time: 1952 BP: 119/53 Pulse: 58 |
We were deep in a conversation about getting a dog and I forgot to take her blood glucose before we began eating. I'm sure it was fine; if not normal than close to it.
I also gave her another 20 mg dose of furosemide. Her belly looked good, and she's been peeing to beat the band today, but her feet were still a little puffy. It should all come out in her night time wash.
Her appetite's been a little less robust than normal the last few nights, but she's been extremely inactive since the humidity set in, although not in bed more than usual. This weather's even been affecting me, lately. I've been diligent about making sure she sleeps no more than 12 hours over night and no more than 2 hours during her nap. She's not pale, though, or listless, which usually accompanies poor appetite if something's wrong.
I wish we could have had her blood draw done last week, but I don't think anything would have changed and, anyway, we'll have one done next week when that Rx is transferred back to our new/old PCP.
posted by Gail Rae @ 23:59
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