The doctor visit

Yesterday was my mom's appointment to get established with a primary care physician. I took her to my doctor's office. I see a PA there, but felt my mom should probably have an MD, so she saw someone different than I see. She seemed very nice and I liked her. She seemed to listen and pay attention to what I told her.

She sits down to start her questions to my mom and of course says "so do you have any issues going on or concerns?" My mom's reply: "Nope. I'm good".

So, then of course, I said, well we do have a few issues going on we'd like to discuss. 1) I told her about the yeast rash and treatment so far. I asked if by chance they had another bandage because the place hadn't given me enough thru Thursday (next appt), to change every 2 days. She said they did not. I also asked her about the strip of cotton we are supposed to keep there where her stomach skin folds over, because it doesn't seem to want to stay put very well. She explained it was ok and just keep it tucked up in there (might need adjusting after going to bathroom or walking around much) but it was just to help keep skin dry and she said that her excess stomach skin hanging down over her groin allows it to stay moist there and causing the yeast infection.

2) her common mornings of "just not feeling well". I told the doctor the only symptom I can get her to describe is her forehead is sweaty and hot (though no fever ever). I told her it's been going on at least a couple of years and that it completely goes away in an hour or two. I said I had originally thought maybe it was from her missing doses of her meds quite often, but we have fixed that issue. Then I told her I recently had realized she's been taking Tylenol PM quite often and sometimes 2 pills at bedtime and that I realized it's just benadryl. She said that is definitely not a good thing to be taking regularly. She said it can cause other issues, as well as memory problems! I said yes, that is what I had read about it too. She then said if you are having trouble sleeping we can look into a different option, that is specifically for sleeping (not benadryl) but then my mom (as she almost always says to me) "oh, I sleep pretty good". I'm not sure why she had been taking the Tylenol PM but I'm guessing it's something she probably started using years ago (before her memory problems) and it was now in her mind it's something that helps her or she needed to take it at bedtime.  The doctor said she really doesn't have any idea on what could be causing the mornings, but offered maybe it's anxiety, which is what I think it is too (now that her meds are under control and the Tylenol PM has been discontinued).

3) I reviewed her meds list and also that once I got her medical records access, recently, I realized her previous dr had also told her to take a few supplements that she has not been taking. I'm guessing she had ran out sometime before and then didn't remember to re purchase (OTC). I told her I did have her taking just a multivitamin. She said the daily low dose aspirin she does not recommend, unless my mom had heart issues (she doesn't) and she felt the high dose of vitamin b12 wasn't necessary unless she was low (she's not) and thinks it might have been tried to see if it helped with her memory, but she didn't think it was necessary. I said, good, because at this point, the less for her to take the better.

4) and lastly I pointed out some "red spots" on her arms she is constantly worried about. As I figured, dr said they are just aging spots because the skin gets thinner as it gets older. They don't itch. Then mom says "well, I just feel self conscious about how they look". Ahh...at least now when she mentions them again (because she will forget what the dr said) I now know what to say about them.

In a couple of months (I guess due to when her last annual check up was last August) we are going to go back in for the actual wellness physical.

After the visit it was lunch time so we stopped in Burger King drive thru and then went across the street and ate in my car at the Walgreens parking lot. I wanted to get her a few things there. Wanted to find a similar bandage the wound care place had us use, so I could replace it before I left and then she'd be good with that until Thurs am appt. She also had mentioned before she wanted some sun screen and more easy crossword puzzle books. She also picked out some snack brownies that she thought looked good.

I got her back to her apartment (lots of nice welcome home to her from staff), set up her new microwave cart I had rolled in (though honestly I doubt she will even use the microwave either) and changed her bandage. She had gotten her mail and her stupid investment brokerage company apparently still doesn't have her new address! (that I have given twice). It went to her old address and forwarded. She also had a box at her door, where the wound care place had apparently sent some bandages....but they are HUGE, like 10" long size. Totally will not work, so I'm glad I got the 4" ones at Walgreens. Good grief. I showed her the sunscreen and was going to put it in her bathroom and she says "oh is this something I use on rash?" Oh no! it's just sunscreen, you said you wanted some for taking walks outside. Then she says "oh, I think I have some already". LOL

Oh, and the other thing I did while there is check her laundry hamper in her bathroom. It was at least half full of clothes and towels, etc. Ok, I feel better now. I had though she had brought all her dirty laundry for me to do and if that's all she used in the past month, is why I was so concerned! So, she is wearing/using quite a bit, she just didn't bring it all and she hasn't done it herself. At least I know that part and will now get the laundry hired out.

I then picked up my grocery order and headed home later in the afternoon. I was pooped! I took a short nap before I made dinner and then just relaxed the rest of the evening. When I pulled in I saw a pickup parked out in our street and DH out talking to a couple in our driveway. They were from California and looking at lot#6 that is for sale. Said they were about 15 years from retiring and looking for property they could build on at that time. They said they had no desire to stay in California after they retire. They seemed fairly young, so I'm guessing they want to retire at like 60 or early 60's. They seemed really nice, though they had more properties to look at and are more interested in low river bank property.

One of my chickens escaped the coop when I went in to give them a treat and fill up water, LOL. I was able to grab her up really quick before she got too far.