I went to my Neurologist last Friday, and I explained to him all that had been going on the whole time I was trying out the Zelepar. He agreed that the medicine had not received a fair chance at working. So, he gave me a prescription for it, with instructions to use if for a month. If I was not pleased with the way it relieved my symptoms, I could then add the Requip I have taken before back to my schedule. Now that my digestive system is behaving, I told him I thought I could handle the Requip just fine.
Of course, being the little town that ours is, our Pharmacy didn’t have the Zelepar in stock. He has to order unusual medicines, but they come the next business day, and that works OK, most of the time. Of course this was Friday afternoon, when we dropped off the prescription, so I was without all weekend. I did the only thing I knew to do – I used the Requip I already had. My tummy didn’t complain a bit, either.
My throat is still irritated, and I finished the antibiotic today, so I’m thinking I’ll see if the nurse will swab my throat again, or just refill the prescription. I’m not convinced that the strep is gone, and I can’t afford a relapse. I had rheumatic fever as a baby, so my heart is particularly vulnerable to strep infections.
I’m feeling good about the medicines Dr. S. has me on for the Parkinson’s now, and I’m sure my GP will take care of my throat, so things are settling down for me.
It’s just as well, because Daddy continues to decline. His arm is much better, thanks to the arm band, but his mind, and his body in general, continue to go down hill. We’ve had some difficulty all along getting his bowels to move, as one might expect from a 101 year old. I was using the glycerin suppositories I had to help him go, plus he is on Colace as a stool softener. The last time I used the suppository, it didn’t help, which I thought was strange. So, I figured, since I use two of them, I’d use two on him. To my surprise, I discovered the first suppository still in place – not melted in the least! His body temp is so low that it didn’t dissolve!!
So, even though I had been trying to put it off, I felt I had to call the Hospice Nurse, and request help giving him an enema. The enema was an ordeal for him, but it helped. That was yesterday. Today, his strength is noticeably less, and his confusion is noticeably more. His mind and body just can’t cope with any kind of assault now, even if it’s for his own good. Going to the Orthopedist sent him downhill, and the enema just pushed him that much further.
I can only pray that I will do well on the Zelepar, or the Zelepar and Requip combination, as I think it’s clear that Daddy has taken a definite turn for the worse. In God’s good time, this will all work out. I just have to take one step at a time, and leave the end results to Him.