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Dear Camilla, You and Peter are indeed two brave people. I will be praying for you that things work out for you. With heartfelt prayers, Dabu ----- Original Message ----- From: "Camilla Flintermann" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 10:07 AM Subject: Update re: Peter's plans > Dear Friends > For some time things gave been unsettled, and I've not written to PIEN, but > now I think we are on track in planning for Peter's care. > Some of you know that, after moving to a nursing home (NH)by his own > choice on May 8th, he was there only 10 days, due to a bad paranoid > episode, and was admitted to the geriatric psych unit in a Cincinnati, Ohio > hospital---an hour's drive from home. > The first goal was to stabilize and adjust his meds, in part because the NH > had difficulty keeping on time with his every 2 hours round the clock > schedule. The normal problems with a move which a late stage PWP would > have were of course accelerated by his increasing dementia. He entered > the hospital weighing 120 lbs (normal weight 145) and in the week he was > there lost another 5 lbs, due to refusal to eat. He also refused meds > frequently. > Because we had discussed his very detailed Medical Directive many times > over the years--even before PD-- I realized he was deliberately not eating, > the only remaining control he had over his life, and an indication of his > wish not to live in that condition. He confirmed this, and thanked me for > understanding, and for keeping my long-time promise to respect his wishes. > Next he was transferred to an inpatient Hospice unit in the same hospital, > where he continued to regress, and at times became very agitated, requiring > Ativan to calm him. His meds were changed, and they worked for more than > a week to stabilize him, in the hope he could return home. I had even > lined up aides for part-time help, along with Hospice services. > Last Saturday it was a blow to learn that with a diagnosis of "end stage > dementia" he was too combative at times to be safely cared for at home. > Fortunately, a bed was available in a small, homey local NH, where our > daughters and I can visit him daily, and about which I've had many > excellent reports. He is to be transferred there by ambulance in > mid-afternoon today....only 15 minutes from home. > While the moves have added to our problems, I know the end result would > have been the same, perhaps not so soon. Dementia, of course, is > incurable, and symptoms can only at times be moderated. We will do what > we can...... > > BTW-- when I learned that his Hospice diagnosis did NOT mention PD I asked > that this be added, in the hope that more accurate statistics about PD can > be obtained. I suggest this be made clear to any doctors we work with. So > often cause of death appears as "pneumonia" when the underlying cause was > aspiration due to PD. > Also, please rememnber that only about 1/3 of PWPs get dementia--it is not > a given for everyone. > If anyone wishes to send him a card, the address is : > > Peter Flintermann, 4166 Somerville, OH 45064 > > Thanks again for your support through all this--I hope the sharing will be > helpful to others. > > > Camilla Flintermann, CG for Peter 83/70/55 > Oxford, Ohio > <[log in to unmask]> > > on the web at http://www.geocities.com/camillahf/index.html > and also at http://members.tripod.lycos.nl/genugten/flinterm.htm > > "Ask me about the CARE list for Caregivers of Parkinsonians ! " > And visit the CARE webring at http://www.pdcaregiver.org > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn