Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2004. Mattie was two and half years old and that day we were invited by my students to a Halloween event at the university. Mattie was Winnie the Pooh that year for Halloween and when he arrived my students made a big fuss over him. They gave him a goodie bag and invited him to pick out some books to take home. Mattie selected books featuring Franklin the turtle and Little Bear. Both of these characters were animated TV shows that he watched on a regular basis. Mattie loved sitting and listening to a good story and he especially loved following along through the illustrations.
Quote of the day: Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality. ~ Emily Dickinson
It was another crazy day on the farm. At around 6:30am, I heard a motor running outside my bedroom window. Turns out my neighbor was having work done on her house, but really at that hour??? There is no peace for me and certainly no sleep.
My parents saw the cardiologist today and after that my dad had physical therapy at the hospital. Which meant I spent the majority of the day driving around and shuttling them from one place to another. That may sound easy, but they both need a lot of assistance getting in and out of the car, then I have to allot time to use the bathroom, and meet other needs that arise.
My mom entered the cardiology appointment in a very anxious state. Since seeing the podiatrist on Tuesday, she concluded that she would need surgery because something is very wrong with her. I tried to tell her not to jump to conclusions, but what do I know?! The cardiologist calmed her down and told her there are many reasons for a weakened pulse in the feet, and it doesn't always mean there is an artery blockage, which would require a stent. In any case, she is going for further testing next week to determine next steps. My parents love this doctor, as he is Italian, and he also has great sensitivity when working with older adults.
By the time the cardiology appointment was over, my dad looked like he was ready to go to bed. Yet that wasn't an option. I had to get him back in the car to head to his physical therapy appointment. I had about an hour to kill between these two appointments, so when I got to the hospital, I got my parents a snack in the atrium. Since coming off of the steroid, my dad's energy level is worse than ever.
My dad needed the steroids because he had a bad allergic reaction to a bug bite. However, my dad became a different person on steroids. He was more lively, engaged with the world, talkative, and had the energy to do his exercise routine. When his 8 day supply of the steroids ended, with it went his energy and everything else. In fact, I would say that his energy level is worse than what it was prior to taking the steroids. I thought that was just my imagination, but the cardiologist confirmed that this can happen in some patients which is why long term steroid usage can be dangerous. Needless to say, both my dad's internist and the cardiologist feel since he responded so positively to steroids, that we should try Ritalin. Yes Ritalin is a drug typically used for ADHD, but in seniors with dementia, the stimulant is known to help with exhaustion and apathy. I am hoping we will be able to start it next week because right now I feel like I am dragging my dad around and he has no interest at all in anything other than eating and sleeping. To me this is no quality of life.
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