I need your help/thoughts/suggestions regarding my Father’s health
situation.  I have been lurking for some time and have come to value
your depth of knowledge and your willingness to help.  
 
Dad 4is 76 and was diagnosed with PD in 1995, but probably started
symptoms in 1993.  Our family Christmas get together was at my parent’s
house on Dec 26 and he seemed to be doing very well.  We had several
long conversations, he was up and down out of chairs etc. with no real
problems.  He had a good meal with no major problems feeding himself.
He interacted well with the grandkids etc. – all in all on of his better
days.
 
On Dec 30 he had extreme shooting pains in his chest on the left side in
the a.m.  The squad was called and took him to the local hospital
(Defiance, Ohio).  They ran some tests and discovered that he had an
aneurism – so they took him by squad to the nearest large city (Toledo –
St. Lukes) because they did not feel they could handle the situation.
He had taken his meds in the morning – but they would not give him any
meds the rest of the day.  That evening he became disoriented, not aware
of where he was, talking about events in the past, trying to remove his
IV etc.  Around 7 a.m. the next morning they took him for a heart cath.
He was more alert and was able to answer health questions.   The Dr.
said he had an aneurism, but it was most likely a result of heart
disease and nothing to be overly concerned about.  No other blockages
etc – so this was not the cause of his chest pain.  They returned him to
his room around 11 a.m..  This whole time we were requesting that he be
given his PD meds, but he did not get them until 3 p.m.   The staff
blamed the confusion on his lack of meds.  He became more disorientated
as the evening wore on, but sometimes he would be right on our
conversation.
 
The next day he was still disoriented, confused, and not aware of his
surroundings and they said that he had become dehydrated and that was
why he was confused.  They gave him IV’s to rehydrate him.  He finally
started coming around – but very slowly.  Next, the neuro came to see
him – not his normal neuro because he did not have privileges at this
hospital.  The new neuro thought that he was getting too many PD meds
and ordered less meds and blamed the confusion on med interaction.
 
Some time in this mess they told us he had pneumonia – and started meds
and breathing therapy for this.  Blamed it on his normal hunched
condition reducing lung capacity.  In the mean time my father who had
been walking on his own – getting his own meals – going the bathroom on
his own – could not get out of bed because he was too weak.  All these
new problems, but still no explanation about the chest pain.
 
They gave him a bone scan, x-rays, CAT scan, and CAT scan with dye and
told us the he had had a stroke, but the scan with the dye determined
that it was an old stroke – how they determined this we were not told.
Since it was an old stroke they and they were not concerned about more
strokes they started getting him up to walk around for PT.  He was able
to do this, but not for very long.  In the meantime, another Dr. said
that he did not have pneumonia.  Who knows?  The bone scan showed a
couple of old cracked ribs – maybe an explanation for the chest pain,
but docs were not sure.  Finally, one week later they said that he was
too healthy to be in the hospital – but not well enough to return home
so he went to a nursing care facility back home for PT.  He has been
there for 17 days and is getting stronger – not sure when he will come
home.  What an ordeal – still no real good answers from the docs.  Too
many unfamiliar docs and no coordination among them.
 
Does anybody have any ideas about why the confusion?  Any thoughts on
his meds (see the list below).  I have not been real impressed with
either of the neuros – but he seems comfortable with his old neuro.  We
have been trying to get him to either Cleveland Clinic or Ohio State for
a more complete assessment, but he has not been very receptive to this,
yet.
 
Sorry this is so long – but it has been real frustrating.  Maybe this is
just another stage of the PD.  Thanks for any input you might offer.  I
know you are not docs, but I am willing to bet you know more than some
of the docs we saw at the hospital.
 
PD Meds:
Levadopa –  4x /day not sure of current dosage  - new neuro reduce this
to 3x/day
Sinemet CR – 50/200 mg – ½ tablet in a.m. to help him get moving
Comtan – 200 mg 4x/day
Salgen – 5mg 3x/day
Oxybutynin – 5mg – 3x/day
 
He also is taking :
Amiodarone – 200 mg ½ tablet daily for heart
Baby aspirin – 1/day for heart
Vit E – 2 times/day
Multivitamin – 1/day
 
 
 
 

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