TOO MUCH NANNIE
Spent an hour and a half waiting to see Nannie's wrist doc. He said it's up to us whether or not he'd put the exos cast back on her. IF she keeps it on another 4 weeks (hahahahahahahaha!), it might do some good. Even two weeks would be better than nothing. The radius and ulna will remain off center regardless, he also said he saw little bone pieces in the latest xray, wasn't sure where they came from. I said it had to be the pressure she's exerted pushing and pulling HARD and determinedly to get the cast off.
Hubby wanted it back on. The doc gave him one of the keys to be able to put it back on if she takes it off again. She started picking at it again after her grand and great-grand visited and left. I said, "There you go, trying to get it off again. You haven't even been home from the doctor 3 hours , where you promised the doctor you would not pick at it or try to remove it.and you are already determined to get it off. Do you know that if you get it off, (my hubby) has the key to put it right back on your wrist?"
She left it alone for a while after that, but moaned and groaned and complained and whined. She won't give a cold pack a chance, nor heat, nor pillows.
I said, "I'm going to tell you something that the doctor said, and in all truth you probably won't take his advice, but he said the brace is to keep the wrist immobile. Immobile means NOT MOVING or USING YOUR WRIST and HAND. You keep using it. You try to lift, push and pull at things with your fingers.You pull on your fingers and twist the cast. You lean on your knuckles.
"Do you honestly think you are resting and elevating it? How can you think you're not going to have any pain from doing all that? It is YOUR decision to make it worse. I haven't got anything else to offer you for relief. Period."
Yes, I realize dementia folks need it simple, but I HAADDDAA get it off my chest.
"Well, *I* don't removing the cast...." This "I don't remember" is typical dementia, sure, but she pulls out this excuse so easily, like it makes a difference, regardless. And how can you tell? Because this was part of her personality, pre-dementia.
"Hey, don't get mad at me if i"m trying to HELP you remember! I'm not being bossy; I don't "treat you like you're a dog." (I am much, MUCH nicer to dogs!) Hubby said she's mad she got caught; he told me the pattern of her arguments and he had every one of them on th money.
Hubby out putting the trash barrels at the street; I had gone upstairs briefly. I mean briefly....because as I came down the third floor steps, I see HER on the third step coming up to the kitchen. I was nice, I asked if I could get something for her, so she wouldn't have to climb the stairs.
She allowed as how she was just tired of sitting in the recliner and wanted to walk. (remember when we could barely get her to get up out of that same recliner?!) I reminded her that she was not supposed to use the stairs, especially after she's had her PM meds. She knew she was to never climb the stairs at any time of day, without someone there to help her. She tells other people that all the time, by way of disgust at our silliness.
She waits til she thinks the coast is clear and in that SECOND she is on her feet and on the way...where-ever. Because, she often says with a smirk, "You know I'm way smarter than you think I am." --- Kind of blows the premise when she gets caught!
Hubby says he's just going to let her do what she wants (within reason of course.) We have to get some high-up door-locks she can't reach. Unless she gets smarter than us again and pulls a chair over, to climb up on...
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I had the bursitis shot this AM. Peachy-easy. Not sure of the results....the bursa is not hurting; I am sore from having the needle sticks, but all the so-called muscles, tendons, and flab of the upper arm and under arm. down to my impinged ulner whatever at the elbow, and the forearm, tendons and little bones on the back of my hand, down to the pinky finger. But, other than that.....
Missing Pippy's funny little ways, how she used to trot up and down the stairs to check on everyone and what they were up to....she'd stop just outside the room and tilt her head with bright-eyed interest, "Whatcha doin?"
