The guardianship for my parents went through last week and I just got papers yesterday. I've been to the bank to set up the Guardianship account, but transferring government money can take a bit.
This entire morning was spent at the physician's office. It went well, because yesterday I called ahead to speak with the nurse case manager and informed her why we were seeing this particular doctor, giving particular details on both parents. Just that 20 minutes on the phone made today go so much smoother.
For Mom, they adjusted her diabetes meds, wanting to get her on oral meds completely over the summer, something she was thrilled to do, for she hates injections. One type of oral med was switched to a buffered, extended release and she was given a statin that won't upset her stomach. They will schedule pap smears, mammogram, and other stuff as needed. They also did comprehensive lab work.
For Dad, they prescribed new meds - BP meds, prostate meds, and allergy meds. She recommended tapering off his current BP meds until the VA could fill them. She was very surprised the VA kept prescribing it when it obviously wasn't working.
He also got comprehensive lab work. The doctor shared something very interesting about prostate health. She said that with the proper meds, quality of living can be maintained. Even if he does have prostate cancer (as his numbers suggest), studies have shown that with meds and not radiation, people can still live productively. I was so relived to hear that, particularly since it was such a concern.
Oh, and the physician is a crackerjack! Come to find out, she is not just an MD, but she also has a master's in Health Care Administration. She worked at the VA for a while and knows all the hoops, rules, and regulations. She is also very skilled at finding resources. I'm so grateful we found her!
At the end of the appointment, I spoke with the doctor for I noticed we hadn't talked about dementia. She smiled and said that the referrals take time, and by the time of their next appointment she will have things lined up to get him into psych and memory care. I smiled when she said that she never wanted a new patient's first appointment to be primarily focused on dementia. She knew that Dad's dementia was slow moving and wanted the next few months to prove to him that it is needed and not a medication reaction. I whole-heartedly agreed. She also stated that too many changes at once can cause the most needed ones to be forgotten. Very true, so we focused on what we can change right now and will deal with other things as we can.
After treating my folks to lunch, I ran across town to the eye clinic and dropped off papers for my mom - she's having laser surgery tomorrow and I needed them to have a copy of the guardianship. I spoke at length with the nurse about my mom's care and resources for her. She said that she didn't know why my mom hadn't been referred for blind training or sight aids, particularly since she's been seen there for SIX YEARS. I'm taking steps to remedy that. My goal this summer is to get her training in Braille and anything else she may need. I didn't realize there was government grant money for this.
I ended my travels today at the VA (Veteran's Administration) that is a few miles from my house. Because my dad's meds were service related, I had to drop scrips by, as well as guardianship paperwork. Getting dad the meds he needs may be a bit more convoluted now, but easier in the long run. I'll let things stew for a week or so and contact them after I get back on the 16th.
My actual work ended about an hour ago in a brief conversation with my favorite DSHS social worker, for I sent her copies of guardianship forms and inquired about sight resources for my mom. I shared her elation that the guardianship is legal, that I have more authority than I did to act on my parents' behalf, and I realized that now some of the stress can go away. While she was quick to remind me that stress will never completely go away, she stated that some of the most difficult things have been dealt with. What almost put me into tears was the joy in her voice at hearing good news about my parents' health care and finding a physician. She actually said, "Great job!"
Now that everything's done, I realize I'm exhausted. I'm going to order in a pizza and watch tv. My brain can't take much more.
But, for all the past months have led up to, today was a good day - a really solid step in their care that actually began back in November when I moved them to my city.
Now - this next week I am getting away to work on my dissertation. I am leaving on Sunday, returning Friday. I am piling all my books and papers into boxes and taking off to get some serious work done. I may have to get away once more before everything is said and done, but that's okay. My goal this summer is to finish the dissertation.
I so value this community. All the private notes and emails brighten my day and carry me through when I get so frustrated. Thanks, everyone!
