At 09:44 PM 12/25/96 -0500, you wrote:
> Last Wednesday, my father (76, ~3 years PD) fell in the living
>room. He did not apparently suffer serious injury, but he could not
>get up. He called an ambulance using a pendant which triggered an
>automatic dialer. He was taken to the hospital emergency room that
>afternoon. (They X-rayed him for head injuries, as I understand, and
>found none, although he had a bump over his eye.)
> The doctor kept him in the hospital for observation, and to
>treat an inflammation on his left leg. Thursday evening, he started
>to suffer confusion about his surroundings and condition. The
>confusion has continued through today, although the hospital staff
>tells me that he has periods of lucidity. The doctor ordered an MRI
>(magnetic resonance imaging), which was performed Monday and showed
>no apparent abnormalities.
> The confusion is severe enough, however, that my father has
>trouble eating, and he is often unaware of his surroundings. It has
>now persisted for six days. He is taking only Sinemet (5.5 25/100
>tablets a day before his hospitalization, and I think the doctor has
>reduced the dose.) The doctor stopped his Parlodel a few months ago
>after he started having severe hallucinations.
> Has anyone else had this problem, or known a patient who has had
>it? Is this a common side effect of Parkinson's?
>
>
> -Bill
>
Bill,
Sounds like your doctor is doing the right thing, but make sure HE keeps an
eye on your Dad's condition.
Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to the funeral of one of our support group
members who fell and got medical attention which did not include an MRI
till much, much later. She had a subdural hematoma which did not manifest
itself until it had expanded substantially and become very infected... About
three months elapsed between the fall and the end... The symptoms you cite
are about the same as she presented.. She should have had an MRI very
shortly after the fall.. If things don't improve fairly soon I would
suggest a second MRI. Work with his MD..
WILL JOHNSTON 4049 OAKLAND SCHOOL ROAD
SALISBURY, MD 21804-2716
410-543-0110
Pres A.P.D.A. DelMarVa Chapter
