Dementia – Alzheimer’s Problems: Mr. Q’s Doctors Visit
Transcribed by Honey B Wackx
Mr. Q went to the doctor today. After our big struggle with him trying to get him to change clothes I didn’t know what to expect. Unfortunately I had to drive them to the doctor. There was another resident, Mr. Q, my wife and me. Normally I would not be involved.
However, Mr. Q is very unpredictable and one person may not be able to control him. I had to accompany them to assure that Mr. Q would not be a problem.
He doesn’t like doctors from what he seemed to imply in one of my talks with him. He believes they are out to get his money. At least that is my impression. We arrived at the doctor’s uneventfully.
I was expecting a big problem, but thankfully only small problems occurred. After waiting over a half hour or more they called us. He got up and went with me to the door and started in. They he held the door and tried to back out.
After a little struggle I finally got him to go in with me holding his hand all the time lightly pulling him inside. That was so easy compared to our earlier struggles with his clothes.
I also had a slight problem getting him to go into the exam room. Once there he sat down with no problem. That is usually a problem, but not today. However when he had to exchange chairs with the other person in the room it didn’t work.
I couldn’t get him to change chairs. I finally convinced the assistant to take his blood pressure in the chair he was in. The device barely reached him, but did and he was still for that.
Then time for them to take blood. I expected a fight, but it was no problem at all. I held his arm so he wouldn’t move it when they stuck the needle in, but that was no problem either. I was amazed that no serious problems were encountered.
That was pretty much it for that visit. We left, drove home and immediately had problems with him trying to get in bed and taking off his clothes. It was well past normal lunch time so he had to eat. That went well. I was relieved.
It lasted about two and a half hours while Mr. Q took a nap. When nap time was over we had a major problem getting him to put on pants. He had taken off his pants after we told him not to since he was only taking a nap.
His pants were off and he had found some underwear and put on another pair of shorts. He ran oun in the family room, but we had to effectively drag him back in to get him to put on some pants and socks.
Lately, the past two or three days he keeps going out his bedroom with no pants on. Convincing him otherwise has been in general a failure and today was no exception. After a long struggle with two of us holding him as he fought to keep his pants off, we finally got him to put on his pants and one sock.
The caretaker was pooped and all her energy was gone. Again – that was the second or third time today there was a big struggle with him with his clothes. This is becoming a routine. He is ignoring all attempts to get his clothing situation straightened out.
The saga is not over yet. We have to get him to take his nighttime medicine and that has been a fight almost every day he has been here. Let’s hope it will be one of those rare days when it will not be a problem.
Note: There was no problem with Mr. Q taking his daily medicine this evening.
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