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Barbara Blake-Krebs wrote: > My husband seemed uncomfortable with the telephone conversation he was > having...I picked up another phone, and heard the home health-care > administrator tell him with conviction, "Your wife abuses her medications. > She sneaks extra doses from the kitchen during the day, and doesn't tell > anyone. She ends up taking too much. It's what caused her recent violent > dyskinesias that became nearly fatal." Barb -- you have a right to know who obtained this (mis)information, and how. There must be documentation for this. The agency can't just arbitrarily decide that med abuse was the case, they have to show how they know this. > What concerns us is my post-hospital med regime has yet to be ironed out. > e.g. I have frequent spells of my throat constricting, dystonia, dyskinesia, > etc. \(esp. st nite) Since the end of April when I was discharged from the > nursing home, I have been consulting quite often with our local PD clinic > staff, finally changing my Family Practitioner (to one more caring and > involved), and am trying to make an appt. with a throat specialist at > KUMC's ENT clinic. Barb, I think you should check with your neuro to find out if the throat constriction is caused by dystonia, which can occur in the neck and shoulders. > After nearly 3 weeks I DO feel that I need more help in when and how to > use these meds . While I have appts. slated with my doctors, I am weary of > the almost constant pain and exertion. Thus I had phoned this administrator > Thursday to see if any of their home-care personnel were suitably trained to > act as observers for a 24 - 48. My idea was that they could provide a more > accurate diary than either I or my husband could. > > But, before pursuing this possibility, the administrator and I ar e going > to have to come to some understanding whether she is dealing with a case of > deception or confusion. You have presented the case succinctly which should erase any doubts about confusion or deception. I think both you and Fred should present her with this information and ask for a clear explanation for her statement re med abuse. Let her know that in fact you are, and have been, trying to cut back on meds. Perhaps a statement from your MDS would be of benefit, as well. My very best regards, Kathrynne -- Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD Medical nutrition therapy for Parkinson's disease Author: "Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease" "Parkinson's disease: interview and assessment tools for nutrition professionals" "Risk for malnutrition and bone fracture in Parkinson'sdisease," J Nutr Elderly. V18:3;1999. http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/