Depression Understood Forums

Hi everyone,

It seems like things seem to be going very downhill for me at the moment. I think most of you know that I live with my elderly mother.
I am her primary caregiver, which has caused me a lot of emotional problems lately. I can almost see the deterioration from week, to week.

Have been enduring a lot of back pain lately. Thought that I had just gone and thrown my back out. I have had a lot of troubles with it over the years.

Last week I couldn't bend over and pick up the towel from the bathroom floor without screaming out in pain (fortunately my mom didn't have her hearing aid in). Don't usually do that. Can take a lot of pain.

I tried to make a doctors appointment (on Thursday am) but I can't get in to see anyone until Tuesday morning.

Finally I talked to a pharamacist about it yesterday and she suggested seeing someone about it, right away. So I went to a medi-clinic nearby and saw the doctor that was on-call there. He gave me some morphine like medication for the pain. It turns out that he thinks that I might be developing a kidney stone.

That is a big problem for me because there is no one else to stay with my mom at night. She is suffering from dementia so seriously that a lot of my day is spent playing, hide and seek, for the things that she has put away in strange places.

Am kind of worried what will happen if it turns out that I have to go to the hospital and leave her behind.

The pain isn't too bad today. I took the meds last night and it solved the problem of the pain for now. My belly still is very tender, on the lower right hand side. I am hoping that it will settle down for until I can get to my own doctor.

I imagine that they might want to do an xray or ultrasound. I know it isn't my gall bladder because I had that taken out, about 20 years ago.

Just keeping everyone in the loop.

Glad to see that there are so many new members. Helps keep the forum, vibrant.

Hey Monty girl... sorry you're hurting! One good thing about Kidney stones is that they pass on their own. There is severe pain, but I'm pretty sure the hospital cannot do anything about it. Once they pass, it is usually over. You'll be ok, Monty Girl. You've been through labor!

Is there a visiting nurse service that you can reach out to for your mother? Explain the situation? I don't know Canada's health care system, so sorry if I sound ignorant.

Let me know how you are...

I am sorry you are in so much pain. I am glad you have some meds to help with it and that you are getting in to see your own doctor today. I am pretty sure you can hire people to come and stay with your mom should you need to be hospitalized. Not sure if this service is covered by our health care but maybe your doctor could help point you in the right direction on this one. Thinking of you...*hugs*

(((((((((((((((( Monty ))))))))))))))))))

How are you doing today? Thoughts with you.

Warmie

((((((Monty))))))) Maybe its time for that brother who refused to sign papers before to step up to the plate while you take care of your health...you won't do your mom any good if you end up in the emergency room with no one to take care of her; you have to take care of yourself first!!!!!! Sorry to sound so harsh, just makes me angry your siblings won't step up and help more and you are shouldering the burden on top of everything else you've got to deal with...

((((((((Monty)))))))))) I wish there was something I could do or say to help. Being a caretaker is so hard and taxing on your health and I do hope you can push your siblings into taking some sort of action. I would hate to see you deteriorate like I saw my mom that year before we placed my dad in a special care unit.

Wishing you light and peace and healing and comfort....

(((((((((((( Monty ))))))))))))))))))

Thinking of you Monty, hope you feel better soon. My mother gets kidney stones frequently, and they sound awful. All the best to you.

I have to agree with shatteredhopes about your brother. It's time that Monty takes care of Monty and gets help from someone who is JUST as responsible for your mothers care as you are. Have you tried to talking to him?

((((Monty)))) thinking of you and hoping you update soon.

Monty girl! I hope all is ok... please update us as soon as you are able to. Thinking of you... (((((Monty)))))

Monty - just wondering how you are doing.

Me too! How are ya Monty?

(((((((((((((((((((((((Monty))))))))))))))))))))))))

Hiya Monty, hope you are okay x x x

EVENINING MY DEAR FREIND your abcense is causing me concern how are you ,,feeling a little run down maybe ,,were all thinking of you ,let us
know when you feel you can ,always in my thoughts (((((monty))))) hugs
ken xxxx

Hi all,

Just giving you an update.

It turned out that over the last weekend it turned out that I was having trouble swallowing. I made an emergency appointment with a doctor that was not mine (I saw him on Thursday). Turns out that I went on Monday.

The doctor asked me a few questions and then took a look inside all those holes in my head. She asked me if I had been having a lot of sour mouth tastes. The long and the short of it is that I have a sinus infection. Without going into too many details, stuff I should have been able to blow out my nose, was going the other way.

About in the middle of my round of anti-biotics.

I went to see my doctor and he is also unsure as to whether I am suffering from a deepening depression, or if I am just exhausted. I have been trying to alter my med timing at nights. To a certain extent that seems to have helped.

As a result of taking my meds earlier in the evening, I am making sure that I am home before 10pm. That way I should fall asleep around 11.
I can't play with that bedtime much, because I have been talking to people on the phone, after I get home. They tell me that I am slurring my speech often. Makes sense to be home by 10.

Mom has been difficult this week. My brother has said that she just tries to find things to complain about.

She has an appointment next week. I phoned my brother and told him that I needed help to get her to an appointment for next week (we have an immense amount of snow). His reply was that his February was full so I just have to take care of it on my own. I could just not follow through with the appointment but I know that she needs the appointment. If I back out it is mom that pays, not my brother.

Had better stop typing now. Am getting too mad at my brother.

Thanks again for all of your good wishes. Still hanging in there.