Tiggy Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I hope your FIL is doing OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 Well FIL is now home. He has not been given any meds or anything, just told not to take his statins anymore and to book an appointment with his GP. No out patients appointment or anything Am now concerned that MIL will think because he can stand etc now that he is ok and won't hurry in booking an appointment. She is of the thought that you only go to the Drs when your leg is hanging off. She got cross with DH for calling an ambulance on Saturday as she didn't think FIL needed to go to the hospital When DH expressed his concerns about him being alone all day when she is back to work and that we thought an alarm would be a good idea she told him he was over reacting and fussing too much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 How frustrating Claire - it is so worrying when you can't make the decisions yourself but have to take into account another persons feelings. I think you are doing all you can - just keep trying to persuade her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickendoodle Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Hi Claire It may help if you go on to the Parkinsons website and print off some information that your MIL can read. You have my sympathies as my Dad was exactly the same but as you are well aware (if they are not!) that it will get worse and harder to treat if not caught now. My Dad only finally saw the Doctor after going on holiday and nearly drowning because his arm stopped working while he was swimming! The doctor reckoned that he had had it for over 10 years. Dad saw going to the doctor as giving in and that he could just wish illnesses away. It is so frustrating as you know that he will feel better with treatment but you can only advise up to a point. Dad stopped talking to my sister for a while becuse he said that every time she spoke to him she asked him if he had seen the doctor yet and it was nothing to do with her. Does your FIL drive as someone with untreated Parkinsons shouldn't be behind a wheel. It is a notifiable condition to the DVLA and he is liable to a £1000 fine if he doesn't advise them and get the appropriate doctor's certificate (which will mean he will have to have treatment!) Maybe this is a way through? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 Thanks I am definatly going to print some things off for MIL as there are quite a few symptoms that FIL has which i know she isn't linking to Parkinsons at the moment eg FIL falls asleep all the time. FIL doesn't drive anymore so can't go along that track unfortunatly. He sometimesw walks to get a paper or to go to the pub which both involve him crossing a busy main road We are also going to suggest that MIL writes a list of his symptoms and illnesses, dates etc etc down as she was complaining to Simon last night that she had to keep repeating herself all the time to the diffrent Drs at the hospital.We thought if she had a list it would be easier for her and she would be less likely to forget something that may be an important factor. She also said when FIL had his mental breakdown years ago Parkinsons was mentioned but it was never followed up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickendoodle Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Just trying to think of symptoms my Dad had which you would not immediately link to Parkinsons but are associated with it. Here goes "frozen" looking face - its almost a blank look - some Parkinsons sufferers seem to never smile because the facial muscles are affected constipation (sorry!) - again due to muscle problems in the gut and indigestion contant and extremely irritating worrying about a particular thing - if Dad was expecting a letter for instance he would talk about it constantly until it arrived paranoia - feeling that someone is out to get you - Dad accused me of trying to kill him once by switching his tablets and he was convinced the next door neighbour was stealing things from the house - he wasn't having to "shuffle" before starting to walk as the legs don't connect with the brain for a while or standing still for a long time before walking falling over difficulty swallowing and dribbling while drinking unable to sleep as the body can't relax All I can think of at the moment. It affects all of the muscles so any function in the body involving muscles really. The mental bits look similar to dementia at first glance but some of them are quite Parkinson's specific including the animal hallucinations and feeling that someone is watching you that I previously mentioned My Dad died 4 years ago. Parkinson's itself is not fatal but it can compromise recovery from other conditions. Dad had bowel cancer which was completely cured. He had a colostomy after the operation and there was no way on earth he would be able to cope with it permanently as his shaking hands meant that someone else had to change the bag for him. He lived alone and flatly refused to go into care (he was only 71). His colostomy was reversed but because of the Parkinsons the bowel never started working again. He developed pneumonia and died within a few days of the second op. A blessing really as he was so very unhappy being disabled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 Just trying to think of symptoms my Dad had which you would not immediately link to Parkinsons but are associated with it. Here goes "frozen" looking face - its almost a blank look - some Parkinsons sufferers seem to never smile because the facial muscles are affected He doesn't smile much and does havea kind of vacant look a lot constipation (sorry!) - again due to muscle problems in the gut and indigestion contant and extremely irritating worrying about a particular thing - if Dad was expecting a letter for instance he would talk about it constantly until it arrived paranoia - feeling that someone is out to get you - Dad accused me of trying to kill him once by switching his tablets and he was convinced the next door neighbour was stealing things from the house - he wasn't When he had his big "mental" do he thought people in the pub were spying on him etc. Thought Reeves and Mortimer were sending him messages and that the dog was evil as god spelt backwards. having to "shuffle" before starting to walk as the legs don't connect with the brain for a while or standing still for a long time before walking He does shuffle falling over Just started his poor knees and elbows are a mess difficulty swallowing and dribbling while drinking He doesnt seem to dribble but when we go there for a meal he eats in the kitchen as is embarrased to eat infront of me unable to sleep as the body can't relax He sleeps all the time! All I can think of at the moment. It affects all of the muscles so any function in the body involving muscles really. The mental bits look similar to dementia at first glance but some of them are quite Parkinson's specific including the animal hallucinations and feeling that someone is watching you that I previously mentioned My Dad died 4 years ago. Parkinson's itself is not fatal but it can compromise recovery from other conditions. Dad had bowel cancer which was completely cured. He had a colostomy after the operation and there was no way on earth he would be able to cope with it permanently as his shaking hands meant that someone else had to change the bag for him. He lived alone and flatly refused to go into care (he was only 71). His colostomy was reversed but because of the Parkinsons the bowel never started working again. He developed pneumonia and died within a few days of the second op. A blessing really as he was so very unhappy being disabled. ((hugs)) FIL is also diabetic and doesn't eat properly which makes him even more prone to dizzness etc etc. I've tried umpteen times to try and persuade him to eat 3 times a day and proper meals as i'm diabetic to and on the same diabetes meds so know what would happen if i didn't eat. He is 63. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 So sorry to hear about your FIL, hope he is happier now home. My mum had aches with statins and there has been a fair amount in the papers about side effects for them, so hopefully that will have a positive effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickendoodle Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 The poor man - he could feel so much better with the right treatment. Hope all goes well for you all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grracee Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Just caught up with this, so sorry for all your family. When my grandad was diagnosed with Parkinsons last April we were all just shocked and it really does help to get a better understanding of the disease to help you cope better. All the symptoms that Chickendoodle listed i completely agree with, "frozen" looking face - its almost a blank look - some Parkinsons sufferers seem to never smile because the facial muscles are affected my grandad does this, it just looked as though he is starring into space or right through you, it often only lasts a few mintues. constipation (sorry!) - again due to muscle problems in the gut and indigestion contant and extremely irritating worrying about a particular thing - if Dad was expecting a letter for instance he would talk about it constantly until it arrived my grandad is just a bag of nerves worrying about everything, he used to have lots of times where he had flash backs of times when he was younger, e.g when he was in the war and he used to worry himself to death that someone was coming to find him for something he had done wrong. Also noticed that he worries alot about water, he'll usually say that the house is flooding or something is soaking wet etc. paranoia - feeling that someone is out to get you - Dad accused me of trying to kill him once by switching his tablets and he was convinced the next door neighbour was stealing things from the house - he wasn't I totally agree with this, paranoia was and still is a big problem with my grandad/ He used to accuse everyone of saying horrible things aobout him. When he was able to walk long distances my dad used to take him to the pub on a sunday (like he used to do when able to go by himself) and he often thought that people were starring at him and speaking about him behind his back. Also, one night when he was taking the Sinemet tablets, he accused me of putting some in his water when my nan wasn't looking and thought i was trying to posion him, which obviously hurt my feelings to think that he might perhaps think i'd even think about doing something like that but i've come to realise that it's just something that coems with the diease. He often tells me that people are putting posion in his tea when me & my nan aren't looking, he even said the other day that someone put sheep food in his tea. having to "shuffle" before starting to walk as the legs don't connect with the brain for a while or standing still for a long time before walking the shuffling is a common problem with the parkinsons, my grandad shuffles all the time also the falling over happens alot nowadays. Sometimes he will fall over and his legs will go really stiff which means he can't get up easily and needs alot of help, tkaes him a long while to get the feeling back in his legs after. falling over difficulty swallowing and dribbling while drinking unable to sleep as the body can't relax We have a huuuge problem with sleeping, he just doesnt seem to want to sleep at night at all. He'll get out of bed and walk around moving everything in the room, he'll walk up and down the stairs 6 or 7 times, in and out of the rooms and nothing you can say with convince him that he needs to be in bed sleeping. He does take sleeping pills but they dont seem to work much. I know all the things said above aren't all that positive, but there are good times and good days and with my grandad at the moment you have to just take it as it comes as he has become very ill so we enjoy the time we have together. Yesterday I had a really nice conversation with him and he was telling me about how he used to sing at church etc. but today I dont think i'd be able to have a proper conversation with him at all as he is tired out from not sleeping. I really hope your FIL gets the treatment he deserves and you, your MIL and the rest of the family get the suport you all need too, best wishes and a big hug!. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 Thank you so much for sharing your experiences etc with me. It's a horrid disease and a horrible thing for sufferers and their families to have to go through but it really helps knowing we're not alone and what to expect etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
