Medication

I had left a message for my mom’s doctor for additional medication to help with the off and on again pain which is typical for shingles. To my surprise I got a callback on Monday (President’s day) at 9:30am. The doctor called in a prescription and it was ready for pick up. The prescription is for an antidepressant that is commonly prescribed in a lower does to ease the pain from shingles.

I have been in the house 24/7 for five rainy days. No errands no visitors, I have done puzzles, listen to music and watched so much TV I’m bored. I was looking forward to going to the pharmacy. When I came home I decided to read the informational sheet that came with my mom’s medication.

The informational sheet stated this medication may be used to treat chronic pain and other conditions as determined by your doctor. I keep reading and in black and white states commonly used to treat the pain caused by shingles. 

So far so good. “What the heck!” 

In bold capital letters BEFORE USING THIS MEDICINE: WARNING: ANTIDEPRESSANTS MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF SUICIDAL THOUGHTS OR ACTIONS in children, teenagers, and young adults. However, depression and certain other mental problems may also increase the risk of suicide. (Ok, this does not pertain to us mom would be taking it for pain not depression) I keep reading, the way I understand it is if your thinking of suicide this medication may or may not help. That’s comforting? Down the line it states family and caregivers must closely watch patients who take this medicine. I always watch my mom, in fact I overprotect her. But I am a little concerned for my safety at this point. 

CAUTION:  CONTACT THE DOCTOR AT ONCE if new, worsened or sudden symptoms such as depressed mood (no); anxious (no); restless (no); irritable behavior (oh,oh); panic attacks (no) or any unusual change in mood or behavior occur. DO NOT DRIVE (me crazy) OPERATE MACINERY, OR DO ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS until you know how you’ll react to this medicine.

LIMIT YOUR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION (ok, I started to sweat with this one until I remembered it would be her consumption not mine that their talking about). ALCOHOL, HOT WEATHER, EXERCISE AND FEVER can increase dizziness. My mom doesn’t go out in hot weather or the sun. She never exercises and doesn’t have a fever. 

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: All the regular stuff, dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, nausea, diarrhea, etc. Until I reached a line that said or an increased appetite especially for sweets. I have never seen or heard of this side effect before. I did not tell her about this new medication and it’s been one week to the day and I’m happy to say we never had to use it. Her shingles are dried and she has not complained about pain since the first few days. I however will take heed and follow the directions given by the prescription by staying cool, out of the sun, eat sweets and will not exercise.

Cry Wolf

I’m still sick, but not as sick as my mom. 

Remember Aesop’s fable “Crying Wolf”? It’s about a little boy whose father sent him out to guard the sheep. Well, the first night, the little boy thought he saw and heard a wolf in the bushes. He started to cry “Wolf! Wolf!” All the villagers ran to save him. No wolf. The second night, again thinking a wolf was in the bushes, he started yelling “Wolf! Wolf!” Again the villagers came to help him and again no wolf. On the third night, there was a wolf when the little boy started to yell; no one came to his aid and, you guessed it, the wolf ate him. 

My mom is always crying wolf. She will complain, cry, and describe horrible pains, but won’t go to the doctor’s. In the past, when I have gotten her to go, just minutes before we see the doctor, a little angel on the car headrest would tap her on her shoulder with a magical wand and make her well. 

This time seemed no different. For three days she has complained her back and under her ribs hurt. I told her we can go the doctor’s, urgent care, or call the paramedics; she would say there’s nothing the doctor can do, it’s only arthritis and she just wants to be left alone. For three days this went on. 

On the fourth day, she got up at 11am to get her Ensure, but went back to bed. It was now 2:45pm. I had enough.

“Mom, the day is almost gone. I’m going to pick up Mac at preschool. When I get home in twenty minutes you will be going to the doctor’s.”
“I’m not sick, I just don’t want to get up. I’m cold and the electric blanket is sooo warm.”
“I’ll put a warming blanket on your chair, but you need to get up.”

I returned home at 3:15pm. Mom was up and getting ready for her shower.

Mom, how are you feeling?”
“Fine.”
“Does your back or ribs hurt?”
“No, not since yesterday, so we don’t have to go to the doctor’s.”
“Mom, for the last three days you have complained so much about your back and ribs I thought I was going to have to call the paramedics. Now that I’m going to make you go to the doctor’s, the pain is gone?”
“Complaining makes me feel better?”
“Well, it doesn’t make me feel better. You always cry wolf. One day you’re going to be really sick and no one is going to believe you.”

She went into the bathroom. Mac and I settled in the den to watch Haunted Mansion for the zillionth time. Mom walks into the dining room with only a towel around her.

“Nancy, what’s on my back?”
“I don’t know, it looks like your back is all scratched.”
“OMG, SHINGLES!” (She has had shingles years ago).

From the middle part of her back to under her breast, shingles. It was too late in the day to get a same day doctor’s appointment and I didn’t want to take her as a walk-in, so I made an appointment for the next day at ten. 

My mother has a bad case of shingles. She’s telling the doctor she’s not sure why she’s there. No pain, just a blistery rash. He talks to her about the pain and on a scale of one to ten, she said she’s at a four. He then asked her if she needed any pain medication, her answer was no. So he prescribed Acyclovir, which will help her heal faster and will relieve some pain. It has to be taken five times a day for seven days. 

It’s been three days. I know she’s already feeling better. I changed her nightgown, no pain. And left her eating a Drumstick. 

Everything was fine until fifteen minutes later when Dana, Chris, and Mac came over. They pulled up and saw mom at the window moving the blinds to see who just arrived. It was less than five minutes for Dana to check on my mom. She opens the door and my mom was (pretending to be) in a sound sleep. We (pretended to) wake her and I told her I wanted to show Dana what shingles looked like. Oh, you should have heard her racked with pain. She could hardly move. (Remember cry wolf?)

I fell to my knees to look under the bed to fine the imposter who I had just dressed and left eating ice cream. 

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. 

Sixty two years ago my father proposed to my mother. She said yes and well the rest is history. 

I have been with my husband, The Saint, for forty years and he’s never forgotten an Anniversary or Valentine’s Day. My record is not so good. I forgot it was Valentine’s Day. I have been so busy with my mom, but it’s no excuse. Paul, you have always made me feel special. Whether you write me a love letter or love note, you always speak from your heart.

I know you know how much I LOVE YOU and today, February 15^th I LOVE YOU one more day than yesterday.

Happy 16^th Valentine’s Day, Chris and Dana.
Happy 4^th Valentine’s Day, Paul and Muriel.

Sicker than You

Let me start out by saying I’m never sick.
Until last week.

I had taken my aunt to the hospital and apparently I picked up a bug. Within a few days, I was congested and had a headache. 

I only complained to my husband, I didn’t say a word to my mother. Unless it involved her, she wouldn’t even notice. I did real well the first four days, on the fifth day I thought my head was going to explode. 

When my mom got up on the fifth day (around 11:00am), I finally told her I had a headache, didn’t feel well, and was going to lie down. After thirty minutes, she became bored without anyone to pick on and went looking for me.

Mistake number one, I didn’t lock the bedroom door. I was in a sound sleep:

“What are you doing? Nancy, answer me, what are you doing?”
“Mom, why did you wake me? I was sleeping.”
“I know, you were snoring.”
“Then, why did you wake me?”
“Why do you get upset so easily?”
“Mom, just let me rest.”

Mistake number two, I didn’t get up the first time and lock the door. Twenty minutes later again in a sound sleep:

“Nancy, are you asleep? Nancy, can you hear me?”
“Mom, why did you wake me?”
“I forgot to ask if you still had your headache.”
“Mom, please let me rest. I don’t feel well.”

Mistake number three. No one can ever be sicker than my mom:

“You don’t feel well? I’m the one that’s sick. If you were as sick as me, you would want to die.” So, I’m not dead and this isn’t Hell.
“Ok, mom you’re sicker than me.”
“It’s true, I am sicker than you. My shoulders, back, arms, legs, and under my ribs hurt. Only your head hurts.” Well, actually it started in my head. Now the pain’s down to my ass.
You’re right, Mom, you are sicker than me.” (Silence)

I turn around to face her and she’s not even there. Now I can’t sleep. 

Later that evening my kids came over with pizza and dessert for a night of Wii.

Mom came out at five o’clock to tell everyone she didn’t feel well and was going to bed. On Sunday, she wouldn’t get up. I was making noise all morning, but no Mom. I didn’t want to go in her room because it would start the whole I’m sicker than you routine. But, I had to go in.

“Mom, its two in the afternoon, get up.”
“My side hurts; I can’t get up.”
“Do you want to go to Urgent Care?”
“I want you to get out and leave me alone.” (Fifteen minutes later.)
“Mom, if you don’t get up in thirty minutes, I’m calling my brother and he can come take you to the doctor’s or call the paramedics. You have been in bed twenty-one hours. Once you get up, I’ll see how sick you are.”
“I’m sicker than you.”

Fifteen minutes later, she’s up drinking her Ensure.
I’m in her room changing sheets. 

“I’m going to throw up.” (No comment and no throw up).

At 4:15pm, I made her salmon, a fork full of green beans, and a tablespoon of potato salad. 

“Don’t make too much, I’m not hungry.”
“Just eat what you can.”
“Well, I can’t eat all this.”
“Mom, it’s not much, you can eat it.”
“Don’t tell me it’s not much, I can’t see the plate.”
“Mom, it’s a saucer, not a plate.”
“It’s a lot of food and I’m not feeling well.”

It’s now five o’clock and she’s going to bed, her last words to me before going into her room were “I might get up later for dessert, I’ll let you know.” Well, tonight I’m sicker than she is. I plan to be in a coma in a few hours and nothing is going to get me to open my eyes or my mouth.