Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2004. Mattie was two years old and we were outside on our deck. Of course Mattie did not care what type of weather it was outside. He just loved being one with nature, exploring, and taking in his world. However, I do think rain and snow intrigued him, and Mattie definitely taught me to move passed my comfort zone.
Quote of the day: You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. ~ Marcus Aurelius
It is Friday at 8pm, and I am tired. But my day doesn't end here of course. Until my parents go to bed, I am on the go. My dad went to his memory care program this morning and I took my mom for her physical therapy appointment. After the appointment I took my mom home so she could rest for a while, and I caught up on laundry, dishes, and other chores. Physical therapy wiped my mom out and she napped for two hours.
After I picked my dad up at the center, I then drove straight to the restaurant where we had a late lunch. Just like yesterday, my dad pooped in his pants while dining. I have concluded that his new medication is exacerbating his irritable bowel syndrome. For months now, I have told my dad's former doctor to assess him for diabetes. He did not listen, but agreed to shut me up and test him in June. Naturally this doctor retired, and when we met the doctor taking over his practice, I encouraged him to test my dad's blood. Sure enough, I was correct. His diabetes is back and on Tuesday he started this new medication. Since that point, I have had my hands full managing his toileting issues.
I text messaged his doctor this morning and alerted him of my observations. He wants me to give it a few more days and if my dad's body doesn't stabilize, we are pulling him from that medication. All I know is that my dad's gastrointestinal system is very fragile and any changes can cause massive havoc in our existence.
I think coping with dementia is hard enough, but combining dementia with irritable bowel syndrome is enough to make any caregiver unstable. Unlike in the past when we could manage my dad's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with diet and other methods, now, NOTHING works. I have discussed this issue with several doctors and unfortunately there are NO good treatments for IBS. So here we are! My parents are lucky that I have a strong constitution and can manage these intense clean up jobs, but I am quite certain not every adult child would want to do this!
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