Posted by noa on March 17, 2003, at 16:44:33
In reply to Re: Stressful week, but I'm ok » noa, posted by wendy b. on March 15, 2003, at 16:19:36
Thanks.
Back home now. Dad was discharged yesterday. Got to their house, and spent some time going through all his old meds, and his new scrips, trying to sort out all the similar sounding names, what scrips changed, what was new, what he had to stop taking, etc. It was rather confusing. I think we sorted it out for now. They will see the cardiologist this week for an office visit, so I told them to bring the whole box of meds with them to be extra sure they have it all right.
I thought I take a lot of meds, but you should see his regimen. And his meds cause a lot of risk, where things can get out of whack very seriously and quickly. 3 blood thinners, 3 BP meds, 1 diruetic, 1 arrhythmia med, 1 for gout, 1 for arthritis, 1 for stomach acid because of the risk of bleeding internally, 1 for his eye problem, a multivitamin he has to switch because it contains something that interacts badly with one of the blood thinners, etc. etc. etc. I think there are about 3 more that I don't recall.
Then, back to airport and back home. I was calmer when I was there, and back here, I'm nervous again.
I had a very stressful day at work today, but I'm ok now. I just felt so irritable all day.
I have to do a bit of internet research for my folks on the meds, esp. helping them with food restrictions for certain meds.
A lot of the meds have such similar names. We were getting confused. HOw does a solitary older person handle this? With vision and hearing problems, and perhaps no penchant for asking the docs and nurses questions, I imagine there must be so many people vulnerable to errors--their own and the docs'.
I feel ok because my mom is helping keep it all sorted out, and she is not so afraid to ask questions, especially since I was really promoting that a lot this weekend. My dad not so much. He doesn't ask, partly because he can't hear well, and is embarrased about it.
Anyway, I'm glad I went. He goes back to hospital in a couple of weeks for another procedure. I think my brother will go over there then, although I might also.
The brother that lives nearby got a much needed break from dealing with the medical stuff, too.
poster:noa
thread:208866
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030316/msgs/210102.html