It's been a couple of weeks since I last let everyone in on how Dad's doing, so here goes.

First, some background.  Dad had an appointment November 7 in Philadelphia, with Dr. Matt Stern.  Dr. Stern immediately noticed that Dad was over-medicated, and recommended that we stop the Eldepryl and Symmetryl immediately, and then switch from Sinemet CR to "regular" Sinemet (I'm sorry, but I don't remember the dosages). If necessary, we could add Zyprexa for hallucinations.

The termination of the 2 drugs went fairly well.... no real change.  Then Mom switched the Sinemet, and all h*** broke loose.  Or, to be more accurate, h*** froze over.  Dad was argumentative, frozen, angry, etc. etc. etc.

The Thursday before Thanksgiving (November 21, 1997), in the wee small hours of the morning, Dad was admitted to the hospital.  He spent 2 weeks on the neurology wing where they worked with his medications (just "regular" Sinemet) to get him to the right dose.  They first removed nearly everything, then gradually built it up to the point Dr. Stern (from Philadelphia) had recommended, then over that dosage, then back to Stern's recommendation.  They also tossed in some Ritalin for a day or two, thinking that he might benefit.  (he did... for 2 days).

After the 2 weeks on neurology, the doctors were sufficiently pleased with his progress that they transferred him to the rehab wing, where he's getting lots of therapy. He's currently getting about 5 hours of therapy a day (occupational, physical, speech, more occupational, more physical).  When we took him out on a "day pass" for Christmas, he participated in the conversations, laughed, joked, walked on his own, ate, had no real problems with his vision, etc. etc.

He was on the rehab wing until today, when a bed opened up at "his" nursing home. (I'll explain in a minute.)  He'll be in the skilled nursing section there, continue his therapy, and allow them to evaluate his abilities.  He will (hopefully) then move on to the assisted living wing.  Everyone has pretty much come to grips with the fact that he probably won't move back "home", since his failing balance puts both Mom and himself at risk.

I said "his" nursing home because about a year ago Mom and Dad made the decision to sell their big 2-story 4-bedroom home and move into a local retirement community.  It's a "village" of about 250 homes directly affiliated with a NH run by the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodious.  The residents of the village are virtually assured a place in the NH when/if that time comes.  While in their own homes, all maintenance worries are handled by the maintenance staff of the NH (or as Mom says, "I can change a light bulb if I want to, or I can call Sr. Mary-Front-Desk, and she'll send Fred over")  There's a beautiful community center where Mom can arrange for family reunions, and she can call ahead and join Dad at the dining room of the NH, now that he's there.  Dad's really accepting about this, and (from what Mom says), was actually looking forward to the move.  Right now, everyone's phrasing this as "first the nursing care, then maybe assisted living, and then with luck, back hom!
e".  Even if he can't "come home", he will still be able to go back to the house during the day to work on his computer (he's not net-connected, though) once he's in the assisted living section.  Even while in the nursing care section he'll have a fair amount of freedom.

Since my sister and I are about 190 - 200 miles from them (she in South New Jersey, me in Central New Jersey), I know we both rest easier with this arrangement.  With both Mom and Dad so "ok" with the setup it makes it that much better on us all.

I've rambled enough.  Oh... Dad hasn't tried the zyprexa yet, the reduction in the other drugs seem to be controlling the hallucinations for now.

Thanks to all for your concerns, listening, etc.  I'm not signing off, but felt y'all deserved to know what's been going on.

Diane McHutchison
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Long distance caregiver for Dad -- 69/6+