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Ready or not Dick is home
Dick looked so good yesterday. Today I figured out that his blood sugar levels yesterday morning were where they should be then after lunch they shot up to over 400. They gave him more insulin but very conservative dosing. When I got him home this evening they were 494. He couldn’t figure how many units he should take to counter the reading so I phoned our daughter who has the same program for calculations. It was a struggle all evening I had to give him my undivided attention from the minute we got home until now. All he did was eat one bowl of soup. I was pushing him to pick up the pills and put them in his mouth for an hour, he did his Novalog but now I’m not sure he did the right dosage. He was so confused when it came to giving him his Lantus he wanted to take 2 units instead of 20. He wasn’t running a fever so the only thing I can think of is that the high readings were responsible for his mental condition. I wound up yelling at him to “take the f—— meds already. I just don’t do well with dementia/delirium. It drives me bats that it takes 5 hours to do something that used to take 30 minutes tops. I had hoped he would be lucid for the upcoming family visits. If I have many days like this evening was I won’t be lucid either.
Anyway Home Health will do the blood draws and procrit shots starting this week. Hospice will be here as of tomorrow. Julie
Volunteer Coordinator
ABLSC7 Replies-
Yes, that helps. and it also helps to explain why, when they hospitalized him in the past, that no cultures were positive. They thought they were treating his infection, but they were “treating” his imbalance. I have asked the oncologist today to put together a treatment plan for the next time this happens.
MRI tomorrow.
Thanks for the info.
Stephany in Iowa
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uuuuummmmm … well the bicarb level related to electrolytes and imbalances.
The CO2 test is most often done as part of an electrolyte panel. Changes in your CO2 level suggest you may be losing or retaining fluid, cause an imbalance in your body’s electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and other body fluids.CO2 levels in the blood are influenced by kidney and lung function. The kidneys are mainly responsible for maintaining the normal bicarbonate levels.
Normal Results
The normal range is 20-29 mEq/L (milliequivalent per liter).
And an imbalance either way can affect the way his brain is functioning at the moment. I don’t know why they said the stoma….its ultimately related to his kidney function….that help? Pat -
Hi, Julie….did you get some candy for yourself? We’re at CTCA, and the staff is dressed to the 9’s. One group came in all dressed like their staff doctor. One group is the Village People. There were a Popeye and Olive Oyl on the hospital ward. They really go all out here.
Doran was admitted yesterday, because he is falling a lot. He has been hallucinating a lot, and been a little feisty, so I can certainly sympathize with you and Pat. I’m a little embarrased at the way he speaks to the nurses, but they seem to understand. He’s been fed fresh berries, fresh-squeezed apple juice (really!), fresh made potato chips, I’ve had spinach quiche and curried chicken soup with lentils, and Doran says this is the worst place he’s ever stayed. That’s one way I know he’s hallucinating:dry:
He’s on his first unit of blood, because his count was 8.2, and he had a sleep study last night, so his hallucinating might be due to apnea. I’ve got my fingers crossed.
His brain scan was negative (oh, what I could do with THAT news), and his bone scan wasn’t too bad, because anything they saw might be inflammatory. We’re waiting for his kidney function to get better before they do an MRI. We’re also waiting for a urology consult, because they said he may be “losing bicarb through his stoma.” Pat, do you know what that means?
Anyway, I’m going back to the ward, to share his supper, and then go get some of my own. Do you know they served Harvest Pumpkin soup with cream today for lunch with his beef dip? I can’t believe their chef. And they have laughing therapy, and “mindful beading.” Can’t wait to find out about that:woohoo:
Julie, I hope you had a great evening. I even have a massage set for myself, but had to get it at 8:00 on Monday morning. :blink:
Talk to you all later.
Stephany in Iowa (temporarily in Illinois)
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I didn’t find that book Julie but it sounds like a good one…i actually picked up several..one of which was titled….”Take My Father…Please”…After reading that and identifing with a lot of it i realized my situation wasn’t nearly as bad as hers…but at least i found out i wasn’t alone which helped me fend off the sometimes cruel remarks even though they pierced my heart.
Reward yourself with some trick or treat candy tonight!
Pat -
Dick blood sugar reading are all over the map. The prednisone really sends them high but they come down about as fast. Pat there is a book “The 26 Hour Day” written for caregivers for people with dementia. It was written over 20 years ago as I read it when we were taking care of Dick’s Mother when she had lung cancer in the brain and early Alzheimers. Dick has always monitored his glucose and insulin closely and had done very well now I’m getting a crash course.
Today I’m taking him to the cancer center for a blood transfusion as his Hemoglobin was 8.1. Had to get up early today and his blood sugar was low so first had to treat that. We are off now. Busy day as I have my steroid injections in my knees this afternoon. Daughter and family are here and we want to have the toddler experience Trick or Treat. Julie
Volunteer Coordinator
ABLSCwow Julie thats a high reading…..i’m sure you know all this but Mayo has a great page on diabetes and the effects of too much or too little insulin and its symptoms..one of which is dementia. I wonder why they can’t figure out a better system to determine where he is and what he needs?
Lord knows there are no guidelines for caregivers taking care of someone with dementia….if i could have written the book i would have but i find it takes so many forms. My father would not take showers…he insisted he’d just had one…..he would overdose on his pills as he’d forgotten he’d taken any…the paranoia went from accusations that i stole his wallet…his house…and sometimes calling me every name in the book except my own name as he thought i was his sister. I definately could not care for him myself…i had to have help. I really admire you for being such a great caregiver and just forgive yourself for yelling at him..he won’t remember it. I hope the home health and Hospice can afford you some relief.
If you want to read the paper from Mayo
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-diabetes/DS00585/DSECTION=complications
Pat
Oh, Julie….you did give me my morning smile! I can just hear you. And I can just hear myself, in the same predicament. “why can’t you just f*****g listen and do what you need?”
Yes, he’s home. And hospice is coming. And so is family. You’ll make it. Home health care will sweep in, wearing a cape, and saving the day.
If not, keep on posting. You can scream here!
Stephany in Iowa
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