Disclaimer

I am not a doctor. I am providing information based on experiences that my mom has with natural remedies. The purpose of this blog is to help folks to educate themselves. Use this information with your own discernment.

30 April 2010

A Bright New Day Without Lewy!


It's a new day, cats were up at 5am which means, so was I.  They think they're going outside, but after yesterdays scare with the grey fox, I won't let them out unless I'm outside too.
I know the sounds that the fox makes, I know I have heard it's call. 

Last week, Shakti was behind the fence on the otherside of the creek.  She was directly infront of me.  She stood still like a statue, not turning to look at me.  I even had their stick that once had feathers, only the bell still in tact.  It's the toy that brings them out from wherever they are hiding.  This day, she was focused on a mound of dirt, an old woodchuck burrow.  I didn't see anything, just a very cautious Shakti.

Finally, she turned slowly, VERY SLOWLY she moved in my direction.  She hopped over the creek and ran to me.  I snatched her up in my arms, she immediately began to purr.

When I owned my home before my husband and I were married, I had a woodchuck problem.  I read up on the chucks and learned everything that I could about them so that I knew how to chase them off my property and out of my gardens.  One fact that I recall is that small animals like fox will take over abandoned woodchuck dens. 

Could the fox be living right behind our fence in the old woodchuck den? 

Before I let the cats outside today, I will check out the mound that appeared to hold Shakti's attention even over her favorite toy. 

Yesterday my mom visited our Naturopath Doctor.  She hallucinated in the doctor's office, "Ah, there are my friends over there, in the trees." she said as she looked out the window.  Dr. Barton looked, I looked... I always look, even when I know there's nothing to be seen. 

My mom told the doctor that she's getting married, that she'll be asking my dad to marry her again.  She was hallucinating, but when asked, "So, how are your hallucinations?" she'd answer, "I don't have hallucinations, just visitors."

It was very hard for both the doctor and me not to laugh out loud when my mom spoke... but we held it together and only laughed on the inside.

The doctor reviewed her blood work results and was concerned about her elevated BUN, a number that tells about the health of ones kidneys.  The Lisinopril that she had been taking is known to cause problems for kidneys.  I also learned that hallucinations can be triggered by kidney's that aren't doing their job. 

My mom is off all pharmaceutical drugs, she has been for at least a week.  I've been working to keep my mom's blood sugar and blood pressure in the normal range using food, herbs and spices.  Her days are better, she isn't hallucinating as much.  She does miss seeing my brother and my father, at times she enjoys her hallucinations.

Today my mom's blood pressure was great when she woke up.  It's lower than it's been in awhile, which is awesome.  The herb that Dr. Barton prescribed my mom seems to help to normalize her blood pressure.  Today, I have my mom back, my mom from the "good ole' days."  It's exciting to see her improve when every thing that I've read and have been told points to a rapid decline. 

Could she be getting better?

My mom is getting a break from us this weekend, she's going to Maine with my sister.  I think I squeeled when my sister called earlier in the week to tell me that she's taking Ma for the weekend.  My sisters will both enjoy the new Ma, the Ma who isn't hallucinating, the Ma that they can have a meaninful conversation.  I'm excited for my family to spend time with our mom, it's all I ever wanted, to give everyone a chance to enjoy our mom before she catches the bus to heaven.

It's a bright new day without Lewy... Yay!

1 comment:

  1. I loved having the old mom around and learned to enjoy the time she was there. I am happy to hear your mom is doing so well.

    Hope you all enjoy the weekend.

    ReplyDelete