Here’s an update. Cheryl is still in a lot of pain. She sees the surgeon for a followup tomorrow afternoon. It will be good for her to get out.
On another note, we received word that workers comp is accepting the claim. They are cutting a check today for the first couple of weeks of missed work. That’s a good thing, and a big weight off our shoulders. 🙂
Aj, this same thing happened to a friend last Christmas, ankle, plates, screws, and workman’s comp. Quite a few of us had the pleasure of her company as we took her to appointments. Anyway that experience helps me pray for you all.
So glad to hear worker’s comp is coming through, AJ. But I’m sorry about the pain Cheryl is experiencing. That’s a tough road to walk. My brother-in-law had a bad fall on an icy sidewalk a few years ago and broke both his tibia and fibula in the lower leg, and had other damage either above or below it, I can’t remember. He had plates and screws, etc. put in, and I know his recovery took quite a while, and certainly wasn’t easy. Continued prayers for your wife.
Continued prayers are appreciated for my parents. We went to visit them today, and my sisters who were there updated me on some things I didn’t know.
Last Thursday (8 days post-surgery), my mom had a worsening of her pain. My sister, who has been at my parents’ since last Tuesday when she flew in from the East coast, said she believes it was the change in weather on Thursday that increased Mom’s aches and pains.
My dad, who is very fixated on finances, is angry about the cost of Mom’s pain meds (if you knew his net worth, you would know what a drop in the bucket the cost actually is, but that’s another story, and I won’t tell it), and when he thinks they’re doing no good, he gets agitated and says she should only be taking the OTC Aleve like she was before her surgery.
This, of course, alone, would hardly touch the pain. My sister tried to explain to Dad how much Mom needs the prescription meds, but the really disturbing thing is that, instead of Dad’s being argumentative with the children who are advocating for the pain meds (and picking up refills as needed), he is turning his anger on Mom.
This is very uncharacteristic of him, and my sister said she herself was nearly reduced to tears seeing how he got so agitated about the whole thing, and how my mom didn’t speak up at all in her own defense, necessitating sister defend the use of the narcotics Mom had been prescribed.
My sister flies back home tomorrow. We could use prayers that Mom continues to take what she needs, and that there isn’t any more trouble if she needs another refill. (Dad did settle down after the refill he was rebelling against last week.) If Mom’s pain levels go down, she could reduce the meds to half what they are now, making the prescription last longer.
6 – I’m not sure how your dad’s health is lately, but it might be an idea to check for a urinary tract infection – that can completely change a senior’s emotions and make them agitated. I saw this quite often when working for a doctor and found the same thing with my aunt who was in her 90s.
Thank you for mentioning that, Kare. I’ll run that by my siblings who live near him and see if one of them could get him to his local doctor to get that checked out.
Karen, he’s shown no signs of any dementia. He is still quite sharp mentally, at age 85, as were his parents their whole lives (both having lived into their 90s).
Money issues have always bothered him to some extent. He is very frugal, part of the reason he has amassed so much money, though not the only reason, so he doesn’t like spending money on things he doesn’t think bring much benefit.
He worries about his children’s finances, too, especially that of the sister who flew out here, so I wonder if that added to his stress, knowing she got last-minute plane tickets to come here and help. That may have caused him extra anxiety, and his lashing out could be a result of that.
You’re right that dementia and anger often go together, though. We’re starting to see some of that in my father-in-law now. The confusion started earlier this year, and he has in recent weeks been exhibiting anger, something very atypical for him for all the years I’ve known him.
Wandering Views 
Hi all. AJ here,
Here’s an update. Cheryl is still in a lot of pain. She sees the surgeon for a followup tomorrow afternoon. It will be good for her to get out.
On another note, we received word that workers comp is accepting the claim. They are cutting a check today for the first couple of weeks of missed work. That’s a good thing, and a big weight off our shoulders. 🙂
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Sighing with relief with you, AJ.
And praying Cheryl’s pain will ease very soon.
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I prayed this morning that God would remove the burden of finances and you would find joy in being together as a family despite the pain. God is good.
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Glad to hear it, the real. About the coverage, not Cheryl’s discomfort.
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Aj, this same thing happened to a friend last Christmas, ankle, plates, screws, and workman’s comp. Quite a few of us had the pleasure of her company as we took her to appointments. Anyway that experience helps me pray for you all.
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So glad to hear worker’s comp is coming through, AJ. But I’m sorry about the pain Cheryl is experiencing. That’s a tough road to walk. My brother-in-law had a bad fall on an icy sidewalk a few years ago and broke both his tibia and fibula in the lower leg, and had other damage either above or below it, I can’t remember. He had plates and screws, etc. put in, and I know his recovery took quite a while, and certainly wasn’t easy. Continued prayers for your wife.
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Continued prayers are appreciated for my parents. We went to visit them today, and my sisters who were there updated me on some things I didn’t know.
Last Thursday (8 days post-surgery), my mom had a worsening of her pain. My sister, who has been at my parents’ since last Tuesday when she flew in from the East coast, said she believes it was the change in weather on Thursday that increased Mom’s aches and pains.
My dad, who is very fixated on finances, is angry about the cost of Mom’s pain meds (if you knew his net worth, you would know what a drop in the bucket the cost actually is, but that’s another story, and I won’t tell it), and when he thinks they’re doing no good, he gets agitated and says she should only be taking the OTC Aleve like she was before her surgery.
This, of course, alone, would hardly touch the pain. My sister tried to explain to Dad how much Mom needs the prescription meds, but the really disturbing thing is that, instead of Dad’s being argumentative with the children who are advocating for the pain meds (and picking up refills as needed), he is turning his anger on Mom.
This is very uncharacteristic of him, and my sister said she herself was nearly reduced to tears seeing how he got so agitated about the whole thing, and how my mom didn’t speak up at all in her own defense, necessitating sister defend the use of the narcotics Mom had been prescribed.
My sister flies back home tomorrow. We could use prayers that Mom continues to take what she needs, and that there isn’t any more trouble if she needs another refill. (Dad did settle down after the refill he was rebelling against last week.) If Mom’s pain levels go down, she could reduce the meds to half what they are now, making the prescription last longer.
Thank you for your prayers.
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6 – I’m not sure how your dad’s health is lately, but it might be an idea to check for a urinary tract infection – that can completely change a senior’s emotions and make them agitated. I saw this quite often when working for a doctor and found the same thing with my aunt who was in her 90s.
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Thank you for mentioning that, Kare. I’ll run that by my siblings who live near him and see if one of them could get him to his local doctor to get that checked out.
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6 Arrows – Does your dad have any kind of dementia at all? Anger often goes along with that, too.
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Karen, he’s shown no signs of any dementia. He is still quite sharp mentally, at age 85, as were his parents their whole lives (both having lived into their 90s).
Money issues have always bothered him to some extent. He is very frugal, part of the reason he has amassed so much money, though not the only reason, so he doesn’t like spending money on things he doesn’t think bring much benefit.
He worries about his children’s finances, too, especially that of the sister who flew out here, so I wonder if that added to his stress, knowing she got last-minute plane tickets to come here and help. That may have caused him extra anxiety, and his lashing out could be a result of that.
You’re right that dementia and anger often go together, though. We’re starting to see some of that in my father-in-law now. The confusion started earlier this year, and he has in recent weeks been exhibiting anger, something very atypical for him for all the years I’ve known him.
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