Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Dog Ate My Hearing Aid and Other Excuses

Sadie, Before the Crime
My father was surfing on one hearing aid.  Several years ago one was lost somewhere between Sierra Vista and Tombstone on a rainy July 2 evening.  He was doing okay until Fred cat-napped the remaining one and did his thing with it.  Last Wednesday we went to Alamo to see what could be done with it.  They were able to repair it!  For free no less!

Well.....

That night Sadie found it.  The following morning, when they were finally able to find the hearing aid, nothing remained of it but some chewed parts. 

So, the Alzheimer's wouldn't be so bad, but he now hears squat!  It is rather humorous.  Today he caught several things wrong.  Just rough. 

This whole thing with the price of hearing aids is so wrong. 

We went to LC yesterday to his urologist.  Got good reports there.  He's still having problems with the planter's wart on his foot, but we take that as it goes.

He is so looking forward to their 60th Anniversary.

Monday, July 18, 2011

No Knife!

Patriotic Sadie!
It looks like there will be no surgery!  The cardiologist nixed it.  "No knife unless there is an emergency!"  That takes care of that!

APR was a little fuzzy on Friday when we went to Las Cruces to the cardiologist.  It was a long, hot day - miserable!  He had directional problems, he was tired.  Did okay on the other things, though.  He was late for his appointment.  He just did not want to get ready to leave.

It took several days for him to catch up and not be so tired. 

We've noticed when he is tired he gets fuzzy.  His directions get bad.  We also learned there is a direct correlation to having a bad evening and not doing well in the mornings.  So, now we know not to plan early morning functions and doctor's appointments. 

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Doctors, Diagnosis, and Possible Surgery

APR and Sadie July 1, 2011
My father has had a physical problem that has been getting more and more serious.  We went to LC today for an appointment with the urologist.  The morning, before the parents' left the house, he mentioned that he wondered if he was having a recurrence of a hernia that plagued him 70 some years ago.  Low and behold - he is absolutely correct!

He was a little cranky today at times, but not bad.  When he went into the doctor's exam room, my mother told them that he had Alzheimer's.  According to the nurse practitioner, if she had not mentioned it, they would not have noticed it.  The new medication is working, wonderfully!

The only problem we usually have is directions - and oye!  He never did do directions well.  We won't talk about the last trip to Illinois, and his attempt to read a map (and that was before the Alzheimers!)

I can't get over how well he did this past week during the fire there in the Valley. So far it has burned a little over 100,000 acres, and everyone's nerves - everyone but him.  He's been great, with it, following the storyline, keeping up, the whole nine yards.

We must keep remembering that we are living on "borrowed time".