Whenever we go to the doctor's office, it is to see his PA. She is able to do just about everything the doctor does except hospital stuff and everything she does is reviewed by the doctor and approved. Anyway, when I called today to get an appointment with her, I was told her schedule was full, but I could see Dr. Gehan. Of course I said yes!
I was very impressed with out visit. We got into his office in an acceptable time and he spent almost an hour with us going over test results and giving me general information concerning the elderly.
We decided to bring Mom to the doctor because her back (not the wound) and leg just doesn't seem to be getting better, and we wanted to understand her condition and potential problems. She is having such a hard time walking. So painful...
Anyway, here's what I found out today. Mom's hip is riddled with arthritis and the bones in the hip joint are rubbing together. This condition will never get better. She will always be in pain when she walks and she will slowly wind down into being in a wheelchair when the pain gets too much. Because of her other issues, he does not recommend any kind of corrective surgery.
Her spine has a compression fracture and will most likely never get better. This also will hurt her when she walks. Another reason to end up in a wheelchair. He shared the medical procedures approved for this condition, but also said how research has shown it is an expensive procedure that does not hold up with time. He does not recommend it.
The doctor is giving us pain pills that will take the edge off the pain, but he said nothing will get rid of all the pain...He is not concerned that at her age she will become a drug addict and if she gets any relief from them she should take them.
I was concerned about her not eating and when I told him that she drinks several Boosts a day, he was satisfied with that. He let me know that many elderly people survivie on Boost alone, so when she wants to eat something, thats good, and when she doesn't want to eat, that's ok too. There is a pill to promote appitite, but the side effects could be blood clots and since she has a history of a blood clot he does not recommend that. But since he told me it was ok to just drink your food, I was able to be at peace about that. So now if she wants to eat, she will; when she doesn't want to eat, she will drink...ha ha!
The wound on her lower back is healing nicely so we will continue with the medicines and clinic visits.
The doctor gave us another pill. This one is for depression. I will try it out on her to see if she feels less "weepy". (I just might pop one in my mouth too, ha ha)
Mom argued that she was not depressed and when I said she cried often, she was very offended. I told her that we were with her doctor and he had to know her moods in order to help her. She said she was only depressed because she was not in her home with her doctor doing the things she does at her home.......When I told her I wished I could give her what she wanted, but that she had outlived the usefulness of her old home, the doctor strongly agreed that she was where she needed to be. I believe she selectively did not hear him.
So that was our day. The answers gotten to so many of our concerns was a relief to us, but the answers themselves are sorrowful. Mom is not going to get any better than what she is, and she is slowly (maybe faster than I like) going downhill. The aging process speeds up at this age. Harry and I will have to find peace with her condition and enjoy her for as long as the Lord gives us.
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