I ended up taking my mom to a doctor today. I had called my dr. office to get her in, but they couldn't see her until Wednesday morning. I scheduled the appointment and the only info they got from me was her name, address, ph#, and date of birth. But, after I hung up I decided as bad as that rash looks and when I called her she said it wasn't any better, I decided to just take her into the walk in clinic (same medical group, just different office) and was able to do an online "check in" for around a 10:30 am appointment. They got us in around 10:50. Mom says this rash started 2 months ago! but didn't get bad until later last week.
When the nurse brought her up on the computer she already had a list of all her meds and health notes! How in the world? I hadn't even filled out the other paperwork the other office emailed me, let alone signed the request to transfer her records. It's not even the same insurance company she is now on. Boy, the medical world must really all be connected now if they had all that already, in a matter of a couple of hours.
As I guessed, it was a yeast infection type rash. Extremely red and quite a large area where her leg meets her groin and even starting to come down onto her thigh just a bit. I'm guessing her extra weight is a big cause, as well as she gets sweaty easy (always has), causing the infection in where her stomach is folding down over and also where her leg bends at the hip. The dr. prescribed a pill to take once today and once again in a week, as well as OTC Lotrimin to apply twice a day. Thank God the pill is only 2 pills! You all know how that would have went! We filled the prescription and got the OTC at Target nearby. She took the pill when we got back to her apartment and the other pill, kind of in a little packet/card thing, I taped to her fridge and wrote in bold red marker "to take Monday 6/15". I taped it there, rather than leave it on her table, because I'm sure by next Monday she'll have moved it somewhere else and when it came time to take it, nowhere to be found. As it stands, I won't be surprised if it taped to her fridge gets moved.
Also took the time to make sure her birth certificate is in her little safe, as we will need that to go get her an ID card. Here you have to make appt's at the DOL, you can't just walk in, take a number and wait, so I didn't want to schedule that until I knew for sure we have her birth certificate. She also just used her last check and thought she was out, but I told her I had ordered her some more a few months ago, via her online banking, and found those in her file cabinet, too. She also needed a new check register, as she filled hers up, and there was a new one in with the checks.
I called the other dr. office when I got home and canceled that appt but rescheduled for an appointment to get her established with the dr. at the end of June. That gives me a few weeks before I have to take some more time of work to take her in.
The guy who did our gutters on the shed had ordered some extra gutter "elbows" for DH to change to on the house (he liked how these looked better than what another gutter guy used on our house) and he usually works in the city, so DH called him to find out where today, so I could swing by and pick up the gutter pieces. He was working on a new apartment complex literally right next door to where my mom now lives. That was super convenient, LOL.
I got back home about 1:30, but so not in the mood to even work today. LOL. I really could just use a nap.
I hope she starts feeling better now wiht her medication and cream. She has had a lot of changes, and I'm sure stress aggravated the yeast infection.
ReplyDeleteI was looking up what causes that and stress can, so you are probably right.
DeleteThe redness that precedes the yeast infection can be treated daily so the yeast infection does not re-occur. Of course, you know this...lol. I get sweaty in same place and have a few remedies for it.
ReplyDeleteapparently it started getting a bit red for some time, she just didn't do/say anything. though I think she may have tried the cortisone cream and the dr. said that actually might have made it worse.
DeleteHave you ever thought about doing a camera say in your mom's kitchen where you can watch her remotely take her meds (call her & say take them) & then watch her on-line? Wonder if something like that would help & save you some trips. A girlfriend has this for her mom & it sure does give her piece of mind being able to keep an eye on her. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteGood idea! My uncle was just saying he wants to set up so he can do video chats with her. I haven't had time to work that out for her/him yet. I think going to try to get her to use her ipad mini, but I have a big feeling she won't remember how to use it to chat with him.
DeleteI think you can just buy a single (or more) camera eye to put/mount in her apartment - the she wouldn't have to do anything - you would just access it through your phone or ipad. Not sure exactly how it all works - but better something she doesn't have to fiddle with at all.
DeleteI went to a walk in clinic and the first time there, I saw a nurse practitioner, which was okay since it was a minor complaint. He remarked that he saw from the pharmacy information that I had taken a certain medication. I could not respond. I sat there stunned and asked him why they gave him that information without my permission. He did not know but said they just did. I am still shocked.
ReplyDeleteWhen I take her in for her next visit, to establish care with a primary dr, I'm going to ask how they had all that info.
DeleteHope the medication will take effect quickly. Taping the second pill to the fridge was a good idea.
ReplyDeleteI hope so too. Dr. said it may take a good week or so for it to start getting better.
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