The Caregiver... How are YOU doing today?

LadeeM I don't think it is the church punishing Book at this point although she has that fear.It is the bad spirits of the night that have followed her into her kitchen giving her the chest pain.

I left this same church Book belongs to.... on my own.... I am still alive, still well, still loving, still compassionate, still very ok.... more ok that I was with them.....nothing bad happened.....I no longer felt like a hypocrite, no longer felt that fear of 'punishment'..... it served it's purpose at one point in my life, then it no longer fit..... I requested a disfellowship.... did not explain to the elders.... I had to learn about a loving and caring God.... and I am not paying 'consequences' for leaving that church...... something to think about....love ya Book...

Book this is not directly related to the lipitor but it is of concern because that kind of pain can be a warning of an impending heart attack. Try experiementing with stepping into the kitchen to test the pain. If it comes step out immediately and see if it goes. Try this several times and see what happens. If the pain persists more than five minutes when you are out of the kitchen you need to be checked in the ER. many women wait far too long before getting help and die. The subconscious is a very powerful thing and strongly implanted in your mind is the fact that the spirits are mad at you.and inflicting punishment.
As far as your church forbidding you to watch certain TV shows and you clearly break this rule and others, maybe it is time for you to leave that church and find another faith where you agree with their principles. God is God and if you believe in Him and pray to Him then the rules of a certain religion are of little consequence. If you are genuinely fearful of being excomunicated then leave of your own free will or follow the rules, there is no middle ground. When you break a civil law knowing that you are in the wrong there is a punishment. if you are caught speeding you have to pay the fine or face worse conseguences. This is the case with any other organization be it a church or a home owners association. all members are expected to follow certain standards.

TMI, so you don't have to look it up on the GOAT thread, too much information. I would take Golden Girls any day, even Andy Griffith!

My last post for the day. Just past midnight and must go to bed.

Is this a coincidence? I'm really really hoping it is. For the past couple of nights, late at night, like now, whenever I go to the kitchen (make sure all power outlets are off, wash any dishes in sink, or refill dad's 2 water jars), I get this really sharp pain on my left upper chest. At first, I kept thinking it's acid reflux. The longer I stayed in the kitchen, the worse the pain became. Then, the next 2 nights, I thought, 'Darn! This is because I'm not taking the Lipitor as I should!" So, I take the Lipitor the next day. Tonight, I forgot to take it. Really, I forgot because I spent hours reconciling the accounts.

Tonight, just now, I walked into the kitchen to do the nightly rituals, and the pain shot up. It was a steady increasing pain. I'm getting worried about the pain - acid reflux? not taking the Lipitor? I walked to the fridge, refill dad's jar, closed the fridge and slammed my left foot. That Never happened before. Pain so bad, I was limping. Then I went to the sink, washing the dishes, and something fell on the floor a few feet behind me. I didn't look right away since I KNOW that there's no one behind me. I finally finished the dishes, chest pain bad, and walked to see what fell. A 6-pack Nutrient drink fell to the floor. I stood there and stared at it. I did not pick it up. I just calmly turned and walked back into the livingroom. The minute I passed the kitchen door into the livingroom, locked it, my chest pain quickly started abating. I am now typing here, and no more chest pains. I can take a deep breath, and no pain at all.

Something bad is in our kitchen. It is Not nice. Did it follow me when I walked into their territory that night, and I Yelled into the night? Ugh!!! As long as it hasn't cursed me, I'm fine. Because I cannot, will not - go out in midnight, back to that spot and Apologize to it! It goes against my spiritual faith to Jesus and God.

Sigh... tonight, I will go back to praying to God. Ask for forgiveness for being a stubborn Reluctant follower. And ask for His protection. Because I truly cannot ask for forgiveness as is the local custom to that spirit. It's just soooo wrong to do that. Really wrong. Night all...

But, Glad, I've learned sooooo much from this show! =)

1. Never use tiny sex toys on Either body orifice - and I'm not talking about any orifices in the head. Do you know how many people go to the ER because their body's muscle automatically contracts and this movement Pushes the object IN or Up into their body?

2. You know in the movies, the love scene, where the woman is on top? They never ever show you the dangers of doing that. Don't they? Guess what? This can cause damage to the guy's manhood when the woman comes down the 'wrong' way. I know it wasn't funny, but I had to laugh on that. It seems, the guy didn't know that either!

It's 1130pm. Dad just woke up. He's confused and is getting mad because I haven't changed his pamper. I just finished changing it at 10pm. He doesn't remember is muttering angrily, "already!"

KARMA, what is wrong with people?! Several? So he can performfor someone he shouldn't even think about?!

I never watch reality shows, making money off of people's stupidity!

LOL..... Karma indeed......

I know. I'm not suppose to be watching this show... But, I'm watching Sex Sent Me to the ER. I kept laughing and laughing. One man came to the ER with a long lasting erection. The doc asked him if he took anything for it to become like that. The man said no. Of course the doctor cannot tell him that he doesn't believe him. That he's lying. So, the doctor told him very calmly that he didn't want to scare him but... a prolonged erection can cause severe tissue damage. Severe tissue damage means they have to amputate the p*nis. The man's blood pressure monitor rose swiftly to 181. The man was quick to tell the truth. He took several viagara just so that he can do it with his business partner's teenage daughter. Karma!

DH13, just to chip in a couple of cautious points: prednisone is a steroid, which will have had a lot of symptom-relieving effects and made him feel like a spring lamb for the time being. And Lasix… you might like to ask if he could be tried on a newer diuretic? My mother was switched last year from Furosemide to Bumetanide and it worked a treat; but I'm only mentioning this, not recommending it - your doctor may have very good reasons for not wanting to change. Best of luck.

Dadshelper, I'm not familiar at all about COPD.
LadeeM - thanks. That will do just fine.

Book, Rossella has not been on AC in years..... I think she left before you started posting.... what I will do tho, is let her know her AC family send their condolences......I know she would like that....

S I have a question I hope someone can shed some light on. My dad is in end stage COPD and a week and half ago he was having trouble walking as his knees and ankles were so swollen and painful. He is on Hospice and when our nurse came he said maybe it's time to put dad on low dose morphine. We started 20mg liquid morphine 2 days after that but dad was so weak and in pain that he spent 8 days in bed mostly. He was having trouble controlling his urine and had gone on the floor several times that week. He looked pale and his feet were purple. Then when the Hospice nurse came back dad was still laid up in bed an he suggested prednisone and a time release morphine pill, 15 mg 2x daily. Dad started that regimen on Thursday and by Saturday he was up, bathed and looking almost normal except for being quite pale yellow. Some family members came by on sunday and dad was playing his "air" drums and looking like all was good with him. That was last Sunday. This week he has been drinking mostly whisky & pepsi, starting around 10am, but hardly any water or green tea and his appetite comes & goes. He has also been acting like he's getting better, sometimes dancing around when he walks from room to room, makes some crazy jokes and is always wanting to go somewhere every day. He did have a dream the other night that scared him bad enough that he turned all the lights on and told me he almost called 911. He said he realized it wasn't real and calmed himself down. When he does take his 02 off (he's on it 24/7-@4L) for 5-10 minutes his levels drop to 82-85. I know he is only getting enough 02 due to the machine as his lungs are fairly shot. Does this activity he's doing mean signs that he is having that "burst" so many talk about or is it just from the prednisone and morphine tablets making him feel more "alive"? Hospice says he has weeks to months and I wonder if this is his way of trying to have good time before its over. He kinda worries me but I take it all in consideration due to his health. His feet are still swollen despite a Lasix every day and they are still purple yet he says his knees feel better though his right one looks swollen still. I worry but I am also prepared for what's to come as I have seen him go from good to this in the past few years. Any info would be appreciated. Thank you all for being there for me.

LadeeM, I don't recall or remember her. I will find her avatar and send her a Hug of condolence. Unfortunately (or fortunately) with the new format of this site, it's harder now to find what that person said by looking at their past comments. The old system would have their last comment and the date. Now, one has to click on each comment to find what you're looking for. And even that is not complete.

Book sorry to disappoint you but you are not allergic to exercising so find another excuse. Oh and I forgot to mention wear pure cotton underwear for your 'other' problem. The itching is like the phantom pain amputees get. The itching on your legs that is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before my time, LadeeM; but I just wanted to say how kind of you to remember her to everyone.

If anyone checking in here remembers Rossella Messina, her mom passed away two days ago.... one of the absolute sweetest and kindest posters we've ever had on this site.... shes on FB, if you are too, send her a message..... it was very sudden. thanks

CM - I got the same itchiness like Reddog. On the Upper thighs. And yes, it's on the front of Both of my legs. I can't describe how that itches so badly and no matter how hard you scratch (until you bleed), it does Not relieve the itchiness.

Veronica and all, thanks for the feedback. I've copied/pasted it. Too many things to bring up to my doc. I'm beginning to feel such a hypochondriac. I think my neck is more important. So, I will only discuss that first with him - in September. Anyway, Veronica, when I mentioned the itchiness to my doc, he brushed it off and said it Was Normal. Something to do with sweat and heat. I'll just google and research on it online and find a happy medium.

FYI, I would never have thought it as being related to my nerves. All this time, I thought I was allergic to exercising. =)

Book I get crazy itching like that on the front of my left thigh...after I walk a lot ...dr said that it's a nerve and had a very specific name for it...says it gets pinched in the groin area...it's like it itches from the inside and no amount of scratching helps...Tex thanks for the comments on the diabetes...I average an A1C of 6.5...I've never had extreme highs or lows...180 in the hospital after surgery and they were shooting glucose into my iv...didn't much like getting insulin shots in the stomach where I'd just been cut...the lowest I've tested was 87 or 89...I called my diabetes advice nurse when it went up instead of down and she didn't know why that would happen either...I take oral meds regularly and the only time I've ever had insulin was in the hospital...I have been trying to eat at more regular times now...when I was taking care of MIL, I was so busy trying to keep up with her schedule I didn't pay that much attention to mine...I really am trying to do better, with diet and exercise.

Book it sounds as if this is irritation from your nerves. Do your exercising in smaller bites before your legs get tired. A treadmill may not be the right exercise for you without conditioning. Ask for a physical therapy consult and they will show you exercises to help strengthen your muscles before jumping on the treadmill and exhausting yourself. NO I am not saying do as I say not as I do. I had a PT evaluation on Monday and came home with a list of exercises which I AM doing. I have to do two sets every day about 40 mins total and I found I could only manage half at a time so do half twice a day. They are just things like leg lifting with variations. These are designed for core strengthening and we are starting with the legs then will go onto the arms. I was told it takes about four months to start getting new muscle fibers and total four months each for legs and arms as long as I work at it. As soon as you start to itch stop and rub something like Gold Bond cream on your thighs and don't scratch you already know this type of itching is not relieved by scratching. You can also use an anaesthetic spray.
There is a choice, I can either sit around and get weaker and be an old woman in a wheelchair or I can put the effort in. Frankly I am not ready yet for the wheelchair although it is tempting at times.
High cholesterol can definitely be genetic but the wrong food does not help it either so follow Drs orders but mind your diet and exercise too. Stress does not help anyone feel in top form but that is only part of the picture. Be well. take care of the vaginal itching too it is probably thrush and that is easily treated these days with OTC meds if you don't want to see a Dr. Do not use any comercial feminine products or wipes on the area and use a mild soap like a baby soap to wash. Wash your clothes especially underwear with a mild soap. Hand wash if necessary, no bleach no fabric softener. End of instructions for the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HUGS

Um, Book. Where ***exactly*** is the itching? And do you also get it on the equivalent bit of your upper arms, or your forearms? And is there absolutely nothing to see apart from marks where you've scratched? And is it the itchiest itching you've ever endured?

Just some quick comments cuz I need to do dad and then get ready for work.
My 1st surgery to take out complex ovarian cysts, my gyne prescribed for after my surgery some iron pills and stool softener. My 2nd surgery in Hawaii for a complete hyster and oosterectomy (??), I was given pain meds (which I didn't take - just my regular xtra strength Tylenol.) I couldn't do a bm @ the hosp. But the nurses said that they are more concerned with my urinating than the bm. I was released without a bm. Fortunately, being in Hawaii, I was eating unfamiliar food. So.. no problem with bm.

According to my doc, my cholest is NOT from food but from stress/family genetic. He kept repeating in my visits that eating the right food will NOT affect my cholest. Only Exercise can lower it. I have tried that. Fave sis got me a treadmill, I put in my bedroom. I think I'm allergic to exercising. I get so tired by 15min. And my upper thighs get soooooo itchy, it's as if the itch is from INSIDE or Under my skin. Scratching it feverishly does Not stop the itch - only lots of red marks, a few bleeding skin - and still so itchy. The itchiness eases off after 30 minutes quitting the treadmill. I get this itchiness when I'm shopping non-stop for hours. Someone mentioned maybe try changing my clothe soap. This clothe soap I use is the one that I found that does Not flare up my vaginal itchiness. I've tried others and this is the safe one so far. I can try again and see if I get the same results. Later.running late.

Book, Lipitor was a nightmare for me.... had all the symptoms you shared....Was given this after my first tachycardia episode.....that is because they were playing Dr. Frankenstein instead of taking a blood test to check my cholesterol....like Red said, I would get muscle cramps in the oddest places.... and exhausted..... and on and on.... stopped taking it the morning I woke up with cramps in my NECK !! In no time I started feeling much better....and to this day, my cholesterol is fine !!!! It was fine then too.... They just threw drugs at me....
Tex.. the same thing happened to my son after his wreck.... so many broken bones.... it wasn't like he could get up and get some exercise...... no one told him and I was overwhelmed with taking care of him and working and it didn't occur to me they did not tell him anything before he left the hospital........ he was not a happy camper.....
It's awesome the things we share and learn on this site.....

Also red, write down the times you do your BS readings. Keep yourself on a good eating schedule. Working out and not eating something before, not such a good idea. Always keep something with you in case your BS was to suddenly decrease,something that doesn't have to be chewed or swallowed. Talk to your pharmacist, they make some stuff looks like a gel, that someone can just put under your tongue,this is if you are unconscious that will up your BS. You should never try to get an unconscious person to try to swallow something, can end up in their lungs. My husband has type 2 dm, and he isn't very compliant and he is a nurse, go figure.I would also get a bracelet to wear that ID's you as a diabetic and case you are not able to let people know. A diabetic diet is actually a very healthy diet and can include lots of food.Everybody's metabolism is different and will react different to exercise, some people's BS can be easy to regulate and others not. Keeping a journal will help you see your body rhythms easily and help your doctor.

Tex...hope by the time this is posted you have found some relief...I know how painful that can be...Book be careful of the coQ10...doctor wanted me to take that and I had the worst muscle cramps I've ever had in my life...and in weird places...I would wake up bellowing in pain because the muscle that runs up the inside of my thigh was trying to make me develop another joint in the middle of my thigh...If I'd had one I'm sure my own foot would have ended up where the sun doesn't shine...they said the stuff was supposed to be good my my heart...which is a muscle, right?..Also the muscle that goes from the back of my head down to my neck...pain was almost blinding...stopped taking stuff and they went away...I also get them if I take too much vitamin D...My body has a tendency to work differently than most...I'm a type 2 diabetic...don't know if it's a side effect from taking Lipitor for years or not...I'm on a different med now. Took my blood sugar reading...ate nothing...worked out at curves for 30 minutes...my blood sugar reading jumped up over 10 points...it was supposed to go DOWN...It seriously seems like what the doctors tell me to do to make things better has a tendency to backfire on me...not exactly sure what to do now...I know that I let things go badly when I was caring for MIL...now I am trying to take care of me but now I would have to say I'm confused...

I know it's kind of an embarrassing subject,CONSTIPATION. but it can literally kill you, no joke.Easy to prevent, but once it is entrenched, excuse the pun, sometimes surgery has to be performed to remove the obstruction, which means you are exposed to the dangers or general anesthesia, infection,ect just from constipation.Also it's not just the elderly that this happens to. The only comnplaint I would have with the hospital was that since I was on a morphine pump and using it, also eating a regular diet , no one asked if I had had a bm, I think they assumed since I was nurse I would have said something, but I was out of it on morphine, also at the time I was a patient, not a nurse. I was on 1 mg morphine every 6 minutes and I used it so that meant I was getting 10mg morphine an hour for at least 24 hrs and sent home on Lortab. Also I had my surgery July 3d. Won't be scheduling anymore elective surgery near a major holiday again, I also think that had something to do with it. The nurse I had probably had an extra number of patients because so many other staff had the holiday off.All in all quite a learning experience.

Book I also have neurologist and she spends a long time with me also. She is so good. My primary doctor is the same way and my mom has her also. I just went to her on Wednesday and started to cry. I also agree we are hidden heroes.My husband lives in Arkansas with my daughter and her husband and kidds. They want me there. Why dont they understand they wan t me there. Families just dont understand what a caregiver does. At least my side of teh family wants me to put my motehr in a home and her doctor as well as mine says she is fine, what do you expect for 91 year old person We aret he ones being punished by our families and and not being appreciated for what we are doing. It makes me so mad. My doctor said pami your husband made a choiced and decided to taake care of your mom. Soi enjoy her as long as you have her and sloth of everyone else. You are doing the right thing. She take care of yourself you are important. We all must remember that. You all have helped me so much. Thanks Tex for that information, sometimes I take aleve for my back pain and do have to be careful not to take too much. You can get constipated. Book I heard that liptor is dangerous have you tried a diet first and exercise. That is what I am going to do first If my numbers are bad. I will find out tomorrow. I am already doing a diet for cholesterol. I will not take liptor for anything..Veronica I wish my husband was here. It seems some of them dont want to bother with us , because we have problems. The marriage vows say in sickness and in health. Pami

Wow, Tex -- glad you're feeling better! I learn something new on this site every day! Thank you for the info :)

Tex thanks for sharing, it is a good cautionary tale. the other side of that coin is that the nurses in the hosptal should also have instructed you about bowel care when taking narcotics but that rarely happens. My orthopedic suggeon is very vigilant about that he prescribes a daily stool softener and makes sure everything is working before he lets you go home, listens to you belly daily to make sure bowel sounds are present. I know you were only in one night but this should have been in your post op instructions.
This was one of our biggest problems with hospice patients. i can not count the number of manual evacuations I have performed. I guess you weren't about to ask your husband to do that. Don't worry about the neighbors they will think everything was for your mother, bless her narcisistic little cotton socks! Well now you know so add something like Metamucil till you are off the narcs. Sorry preaching to the choir again but when nurses become patients we take on a whole different personality

. This will be a little long but a cautionary story for those that take pain meds.This is even move embarrassing as I am a nurse and look what I did to myself. You know I had neck surgery on July 3rd, by the 5th no BM so I started increase on water, moving more, more fiber, too late.. By the evening of this Tues I got the great I idea I'll just take 3 big soup spoon full of castor oil. 30 minutes later I thought my abdomen would explode.Now this is about 2200 at nite, I have all the lites on in the house looking for enemas and found only 3, used all of them. By the time I found the 3rd one my poor husband woke up, not from my screaming in agony, he just had to go to the bathroom, he is deaf and once he takes his hearing aids out he is really deaf. Bless his heart, he is an old nurse, he heated up the 3rd enema which was mineral oil.This worked enough to give some relief and save a trip to the ER. I could not believe what I had done to myself.This is worse because I do know better and look what I did. My mother who is on 180 mg morphine for her OA that this was hilarious although I can't blame her, I keep her on a every 24hr. bm program I am so afraid of her getting constipated but look what I did to myself.Wed, I ran a low grade fever, ate only clear liquids, took no pain meds and my neck was hurting. Today I am better but I am hurling my entire arsenal of anticonstipation meds at myself.I though it funny Book mentioned constipation so I though I would share my embarrassing and (icky) situation as a cautionary tale to those that are on pain meds or about to take them. Pain meds are needed, I had extensive neck surgery with bone grafts and some metal implants, they were needed but they are also a 2 edge sword. I should have started anticonstipation methods prior to leaving this hospital where I was on a morpine pump, they never did ask me if I had a bm before discharge and I was eating so that food was going somewhere, but I was still hurting and wanting to go home so bad I didn't bring up the subject.So,lesson for today, even someone who should know better doesn't always practice what they preach and pay the price. I do feel better now and looking back it was kind of funny, but that pain was right up their with kidney stone pain and I have had 5 kidney stones in my past.Late yesterday my husband went to the local Piggly Wiggly and came back with a bag full of different enemas, dulcolax suppositories, hemmorhoid cream, god only knows what the checkout person though, this is a small town so everyone in this county probably knows someone at this address is very constipated. I have seen people die from constipation because there bowel literally exploded and all those contents went into their abdomen and caused peritonitis and they quickly became septic and all the antibiotics couldn't save them , from something as simple as being "constipated".Take it seriously. Take pain meds if you need them but also make sure you are already taking something to prevent constipation,just remember my story, chuckle if you must,I am glad I lived to tell the tale and if it even prevents one person from going thru what I did it was worth it. If a very experienced nurse can do something this stupid to herself it can happen to anybody,just makes it worse because I knew better.