Re: Upcoming Surgery

[Guest guest]

,

I think it was your message that said he is going or went into the hospital. (I

have answered a few today/am having a hard time remembering.) Yup, I just

checked and it was you I sent a message to. Where does that put the surgery? Or

did you decide against it? Does he have a UTI? That is the most common.

Hope things go well.

Donna R

Caregave for Mom (after I brought her from WI to MI) for 3 years and 4th year in

a nh.

She was almost 89 when she died in '02. No dx other than mine.

Upcoming Surgery

Hi everyone. I haven't written much in about a year. My friend, Bill, for whom

I care is going in for surgery this next Wednesday to remove a kidney for a

" presumed cancer, " as the surgeon words it. I'm hoping this comes out well as

he was first diagnosed with lbd after a surgery four years ago. The HMO sent

him home this way (hallucinating and with delusions) and I spent a lively three

days chasing him at night and reconnecting a catheter as he thought he was in

WWII. As he's only 68 now, that wasn't possible I had to take him to the ER

and they set him up to see a neurologist with a couple of days. .

He had another surgery last year and I went in to the room where they prep

them for surgery and spoke with the anesthesiologist. He came out of that

surgery without the hallucinations. They only assign the anesthesiologist on

the morning of the surgery, so other than the person who does the pre-op

anesthesia interview and makes notes, there is no other time to make them aware.

At least this time, he one doing the pre-op interview was aware of Lewy Body,

but she did seem to think it was more like just Parkinson's. I gave the surgeon

the neurologist's card to call and check out drugs with him. I'll keep my

fingers crossed.

Bill has done remarkably well in the past four years. He was slipping

downhill quickly in the first year when he was only on three tabs per day of

Sinemet 25/100. After his neurologist added Namenda at the end of the first

year, I saw a remarkable change in his cognitive ability and a lessening of

repetitive questionning and statements. He has started to slide downhill again

in the last few months. He has always seen " ants " since the first surgery and

sprays his room overnight at times so strongly that the odor wakes me. About a

months ago, he was sprinkling seasoned pepper on the kitchen floor overnight to

kill the little devils. It took me a couple of times to catch on to what it was

on the floor. I thought one of us had accidentally spilled something. Then, a

couple of weeks ago, he argued with me when I saw him getting ready to go out in

our co-op apartment complex to empty the trash afte dinner in his underwear,

shirt and tennis shoes. He argued vehemently

that they were " shorts. " No argument there. The next night he made it out and

I only caught him returning. Thankfully, this was before daylight savings

started so it was dark out. I talked to him about wanting to keep him at home

as long as possible and it seems to have worked -- for now. I heard him telling

a neighbor yesterday outside our door that there were children sleeping in a car

that a aide parks out on the street here. I'll have to see her and reassure her

that there are no neglected children in cars.

Again, please hold good thoughts for Bill with his upcoming surgery.