Update on "Flax"

Several of you know and read Carolyns blog AKA Flax...Well January was the last entry and I sent her several emails and FINALLY got a reply. She has said that I can post it here for everyone who knows her to read. She may come back to blogging soon.


Oh, my sweet Mary Lou You are a dear, dear friend.

There have been a lot of things going on around here so my absence has been caused by a combination of issues. First of all, I am still having problems with my back. The medications the neurologist has given me cause problems of their own. If I take a high enouse dose of Neurontin to control the pain, it affects my concentration and I have no desire to do anything that I once enjoyed. They've tried Lyrica which caused shortness of breath and heart paplitations.

I suppose it goes without saying that I've had a bad case of depression going on because of all of this. My family physician prescribed Lexapro for depression and it worked pretty good except for the fact that I was still in pain.

My neurologist took me off the Lexapro and gave me a prescription for Cymbalta. Thus far, I'm still depressed and I'm still hurting. So..... life goes on.

As for mother, she is still healthy except for pain in her knees. However, her mental condition continues to deteriorate. Her short term memory gets shorter and shorter day by day. A memory of anything that has just happened lasts no longer than 3 to 5 minutes. The questions are constant and I always know what a converation with mother will consist of before we start the conversation.

A recent development in mother's mental condition has me very concerned. She has begun to see children or a child in her home. She frequently asks, "Where is that child I was keeping today"? I know that she is halucinating and it's just another sign of her continued deterioration.

I still handle mother very well but I know that I am sufferng from it. I allow her to do the activities she can still do and I answer her question all day and way into the night without getting irritated. I simply can't get irritated with my mother. She can't help the way she is. But it's not easy.

My sleep schedule is all messed up and I tend to sleep late in the mornings after a late-night session with mom. I take frequent naps during the day either due to exhaustion, depression or from the effect of the medications.

Blah, blah, blah, blah..... I could write a book.

On a happier note, we found a little stray kitten back in May. She was about 5 weeks old and had a terrible eye infection. I took her straight to my veterinarian and started treating the eye infection. However, after the infection cleared, she was left with a lot of scar tissue on her eyes and is partially blind. Nevertheless, that little kitten has worked her way right into my heart. It has been amazing to watch as she learned to get around inside my house. I am convinced that she has some limited sight. After a few near-mishaps, she can now jump up on the couch, run across the back and jump back down just like an ordinary cat.

I named the kitten "Bren" (short for Brenda) and since I am her constant companion she is really smart. A couple of my other cats have helped to socialize Bren into the cat world but most of her socilization into the animal world has been accomplished by our little dog, Sadie - a lab mix. I have spent a lot of time watching those two interact with each other. Sadie allows Bren to jump on her face and bite and scratch but once Sadie has had enough, Sadie will hold Bren down with one big paw and thoroughly wash Bren with her big, soft tongue. *smile*

Another big change in our lives is that fact that my husband's employer moved from Montgomery (a 30 minute trip to work) to Birmingham, Alabama (over a 2 hour trip to work). As an incentive to keep Rick with the company, the company pays the cost of a motel room so he won't have to travel to and from work. Rick leaves on Monday mornings at 3:30 a.m. and I don't see him again until Friday night. Although we talk on the phone and on the Nextel every day, it's not like having him here.

I hope to get back to blogging sometime soon. I just don't seem to have much good to say lately and I don't want a blog full of my moans and groans.

It's 2:00 a.m. and I've done it again. I've stayed up too late but my hips and legs are aching so bad right now, I doubt I could sleep.

Yes, you can post my email and let everyone know I'm still alive. *smile*

Your remedy for easing your pain sounds pretty good. tub. I hadn't thought of trying an epsom salt bath. I'll try that tomorrow night.

I'm going to confer with my family physician regarding the medication my neurologist gave me for depression/pain. It doesn't seem to be working every well. I'm still depressed and the pain hasn't improved. The Lexapro my family physician prescribed earlier seemed to help more with the depression.

By the way, I'm not scoffing at the things mother has begun to see. Maybe her mind is working on a different level and she IS able to see others that exist on a "higher" plane. Interesting, isn't it?

I am so sorry to hear about Chitters. I love all my critters and it always hurts when I lose one. The three mice are due to see the vet this week. Quinn, one of the white mice, is still "king of the running wheel." Miss Twitters, the other white mouse, takes over as soon as Quinn wears himself out. Miss Twitters has developed an abscess behind her right, front paw and should have seen the vet late last week. However, the only vet in this area who handles "pocket pets" has been out of town and is due to return tomorrow.

As for Mr. Pipps, he is his charming self. If I don't spend some playtime with him almost daily, he can get a bit testy. Since he is not a domesticated mouse, he can deliver a nasty bite when he feels he's not being treated fairly. But I've learned how to handle those occasional bites. First of all, don't jerk your finger back. I've learned that by taking the bite without jerking my finger results in just a pinch instead of a full-blown bite. He is still my sweetie and I do enjoy playing with him.

Bren, the little blind kitten is due to see the vet again soon. I hope the eye drops have helped to reduce some of the scar tissue caused by that terrible infection.

By the way, I took the dogs, Ashley (a Belgium Malinois) and Sadie (a Lab mix) for their nightly walk a while ago. Sadie surprised the big, fat o'possum who has been gobbling up all of the cat food lately. Oh Heck!!! I really don't mind the possum. I'll feed him too. *grin*

Mom had a pretty good day today until about 5:00 p.m. She kept wanting to ask me a question and each time, she forgot the question before she could ask it. I've had to tell her numerous times that I've talked to my sisters and they are all doing fine and I've had to tell her many times what day it is -- and the list goes on and on. But all in all, I'm blessed. Mother's condition could be much worst. I must learn to recognize when I'm being blessed.

Love to all
"Flax"