Dementia and Parkinson’s

Last Friday, Cardine and I took Mom to the doctor for a look see because she’s not been eating well, leaning to one side and seems very tired in the morning with muscle weakness.They were able to fit us in and I was just as glad because I thought it would be my last day of medical leave. The doc didn’t like her tremors and said that all her symptoms that we are complaining about are brought on by the medication which in turn causes Parkinson’s. He left a message with the doctor who actually prescribes this medication and suggested that they talk to try and change her medication recipe a bit to ease up on the symptoms. Seems ironic that the medication that is helping her with dementia and actually giving her another disease? It’s a bad joke. Guess the drug companies don’t think about that or maybe they think it’s worth the risk?

mom_doc_july14  mom_treehouse

Got a call from the prescribing doc this afternoon Monday, suggesting that he wants to see her right away. I was able to schedule an appointment for the end of the month only I won’t be able to take them. She is covered by car service which I don’t really like to use if I don’t have to as I would rather drive them myself but since I’ve been out of the office for over 3 weeks now, that doesn’t seem possible…so Cardine and Mom will go by themselves.

It always makes me nervous to change the medical cocktail because you never know how she will adjust to it. Maybe it’s a good thing, who knows. Maybe it will reverse her tremors…it’s worth a try. Sometimes you just have to have faith that you are doing the right thing and that all will be well.

Above, a photo of Mom at the doctor visit from Friday. She is more and more reminding me of her father, with the all too familiar void eyes. The other is Mom as a child, up in a treehouse. I always find it so hard to understand the aging process, how someone can be so full of life at one time and so vulnerable later on. Aging is not a dignified process in cases like this.

 

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