EPO Shots Day 3 - Treatment 3
    Mom was raring to go earlier than usual, today, even though I was keeping to our usual Shot Day Schedule, which, on past Shot Days has seemed much too compressed for her. "Why do we have to wait?" she asked. "Let's get in and get it over with."
    I called the clinic, figuring that Mom's desire to bump up the timing a little wouldn't be a problem. It wasn't.
    She phased in and out on the shots from moment to moment. After I'd reminded her upon awakening that today was Shot Day, she confirmed that she remembered. There were a few times when I mentioned it prior to us leaving for the clinic, though, when she registered surprise. Then, again, at the clinic, when her hematologist approached her with the needled syringe and a smile, asking, "Where do you want it?", Mom, as usual, was startled.
    When he swabbed her belly she said, "Tell me when to yell."
    As he pierced her with the needle he said, "Yell now."
    She didn't, of course, although, as usual, she flinched, but I admired his insistence on honesty and honoring her half humorous, half serious wishes.
    On the way home she announced, "I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat."
    I reminded her that it was a little too close to breakfast to go out for a full meal, but told her she could have either peanuts or popcorn when we returned home. She chose peanuts. This suddenly increasing hunger is a surprise. I don't know if it's going to last, but it's a good sign. About a week prior to getting her first shot, although her appetite remained adequate, it was dwindling a bit. She also hasn't mentioned anything about dessert for some weeks. Last night, though, she not only remembered dessert, she insisted on it. Luckily, we had some chocolate ice cream in the freezer...a little old but, as Mom said, "That's all right. It'll taste just as good."
    She also didn't feel the need to settle in for a nap immediately upon arriving home. Instead, she opted to start another Bette Davis movie. She only made it halfway through, but that's okay, I was too busy to see much of it so we'll watch it again tonight.
    When she rose in anticipation of a nap, she clearly had a bit of a time, winced and said, "Oooh! I didn't expect that!"
    I asked her if her knees where bothering her.
    "No," she said, "it's right here," running her hands along her thighs.
    "Ah, well, that's good," I announced. "That means your shot is going to work and stimulating your body to make lots of healthy blood, Mom."
    "I don't know about that," she argued.
    I took a few moments to explain to her what MCS had told me about where blood cells are manufactured and that these areas sometimes ached when production was stepped up.
    She found the information interesting, although I doubt that she'll remember it. "Guess I'd better lay down so they can do their work," she said. Any excuse for a nap, I guess.
    At the clinic I also noticed that her observational skills are revving up. I hadn't actually considered that they'd been declining; just that she'd been somewhat mentally lackadaisical, of late (many caregivers will confirm, dementia doesn't necessarily mean one's brain becomes lazy). As we were leaving, though, hunched over her walker and seemingly concentrating on the floor as she was, she apparently studied the habits of a man who was entering as we were leaving. Once we were past the door she leaned toward me conspiratorially and said, "Did you notice that man who just passed us? He had barely three hairs on his head, but when he came inside he stopped, took out a comb and carefully rearranged his three hairs."
    I hadn't noticed...I was too busy managing Mom's oxygen to study anyone around us.
    Once she was settled in the car she'd forgotten that she'd relayed the observation and repeated it, this time with a sly undercurrent of nastiness and a wicked chuckle.
    "Mom," I said, "sometimes you can be mean, you know that?"
    She gave me a sidelong glare and said, "Oh, realllly?!?"
    So, you know, I am pleased to report, the epo shots seem to be restoring some of her sharpness, in all it's aspects, including it's mean and demented aspects. Truth is, I'm pleased. I hadn't been altogether sure that this stuff was doing much good.
    Later.
- posted by Gail Rae @ 16:07   email  this post