some updates
Entry posted by swilkinson
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Today was a busy day, as we had our six month's visit to the neurologist this morning. I wish I was not so tired. I am not sleeping well and am more tired than usual, probably the humidity.
I shouldn't complain, with all the vision of the dreadful Queensland floods and the death and destruction there streaming onto the TV news on all channels this morning I feel as if my troubles are small. Compared with those folk I have it easy.
After we saw the neurologist this morning, he had the nerve conductivity test done on Ray. Ray does not have peripheral neuropathy although that was thought to be one of the causes of the diabetic blister. So why does he have the blister? In the neurologist's opinion it is the diabetes of course. But he did point out that the blister does seem to be reabsorbing nicely. And he will give Ray a referral to a vascular surgeon so the arteries in his legs can be checked to see if there can be some improvement made there.
The bad news is this morning the shower nurse left before I got back from my walk. I stopped at my son's house to tell him my sister broke the toilet window, one of the bottom louvers. So when I rang his boss, the Case Manager, she was "upset" Ray had been left on his own. Oh really???? Well me too. Of course there were lots of promises that this will never happen again.
I broke down and cried in the neurologist’s office this morning when he asked Ray if he was depressed and he answered: "think so". He then asked if he sometimes thought life was no longer worth while and he answered: "a lot of the time". I'm guessing he will recommend that our doctor starts Ray on an antidepressant.
He probably thinks that I need antidepressants as well. I don't really, I am fine most of the time. But when people finally "get it" then the tears tend to come to the surface. Particularly as he then asked how our family deal with all of this and that is a sore point with me at the moment with the presents still under the tree for our older son to come and pick up. His kids missed out on the family time and what can I do about that?
Am I dealing with this well? I think I was doing well before Christmas but since having to use the wheelchair in the house and having so little time to myself because of the Daycare team etc being on holidays and time off in short supply, maybe the answer is "no". Luckily it is only one more week and they are back again.
The neurologist said I should have Ray in Daycare two days a week now. I said I was considering another option and he said to keep Ray where he is familiar with the surroundings, and where the staff are familiar with his needs. I guess that is good advice so I will see if Daycare can give him a second day at this stage.
The neurologist also suggested I use one day for visiting Mum etc and make a list of things I might like to do on the other day and suggested a massage, a trip to the movies and maybe some other treats I may have been putting off for a while. I wouldn’t mind a lunch with a girlfriend from time to time as I know how that can cheer me up. I just have to put it into place. It is strange but someone giving you “permission” to do something for yourself does help. It is almost as if he wrote me out a prescription for “me time”.
Tomorrow is an easier day, some housework and then Caregiver Chat and minding Lucas some of the afternoon. Trev has a small part-time job, four hours a day relieving a cleaner for the month of January but of course Edie is a shift worker and is doing evenings this week. It never meshes well doing two jobs in a family and having an 8 year old too. GrannySue to the rescue.
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