Joyce's KP Adventure mikepasini.com headlines

Joyce Sees Her Primary

11 July 2024

It's been over a year since Joyce's last wellness visit so last week I made an appointment for her to see Dr. Brenman today.

Both Joyce and I had lists of concerns.

We started with the memory issues. I told Dr. Brenman that after Joyce's CT brain scan last year, she never went to the memory clinic. I didn't know if they never scheduled her or if she canceled.

Dr. Brenman explained that a colleague covering for her saw the scan was normal and dismissed it, not realizing it was for the memory clinic. So she got that ball rolling again.

And to update the clinic, she gave Joyce the three word test (village, kitchen, baby), which she couldn't remember after drawing a clock fact incorrectly and improperly setting the hands to 1:50. She'd done the clock correctly last year.

When Dr. Brenman asked her to confirm her recollection that both Joyce's parents had had dementia, Joyce said she couldn't remember.

So we'll be getting a call from the memory clinic to set up an appointment.

Another concern was what the podiatrist mentioned regarding the lack of blood flow to her feet. Dr. Brenman did the same test he had and had the same problem he did.

So we'll be getting a call to schedule a scan for that.

We also asked Dr. Brenman about the pain in Joyce's good leg. For a few days a couple of weeks ago, Joyce complained (loudly) about pain in that leg when she tried to lie down for the evening. She took Tylenol for it and it eventually subsided.

When I mentioned that to Dr. Tong during the monthly debridement last week, she said we should get it check out because that's where she plans to harvest the skin for the graft, which, she also said, can happen as soon as September, if Joyce wants.

Dr. Brenman mentioned three possible causes for the leg pain and suggested we do a scan if it recurs. And if it should, she suggested a test (press the outside of the leg) to see if it's related to a nerve (it won't hurt, if it is).

Meanwhile, Jennifer the RN at the wound care clinic has us applying Santyl to the slough again. She says it works well with Vashe. Unfortunately the pharmacy has a hard time getting it and Joyce, who uses a tube a week, can only order a tube every month.

I asked Jennifer if Medihoney could be substituted but, after looking it up, she said it was incompatible with Vashe. So if we run out, we'll just use Vashe.

That has minimized the debridements. Jennifer doesn't do one at all, just takes a look. And Dr. Tong says she's doing less and less.

Unfortunately, Joyce has abandoned the protein regimen that Crystal the Nutritionist recommended. No idea why.

Maybe she just forgot.


Back