Thursday, October 6, 2011

How are you feeling?

When you go to the doctor, do you see the doctor or do you see a nurse practitioner? More often than not, especially in busy practices, we are telling our symptoms to a licensed nurse practitioner/physician assistant. If they have went back to school to get their "doctorate degree," then there is a Dr. in front of their names. Confusing isn't it? Not all states are allowing the use of Dr. for practitioners and most doctors fear that this may set a precedence for the power to diagnose or prescribe medicine. I read a fascinating article,
 online at The New York Times.

With Mom and my Father-in-law both in nursing care, I've learned that speaking with the right person at the facility is very important to their care. Mom can no longer tell me how she's feeling, her speech now is jumbled at this stage of Dementia. Her health holds strong, even though her mind is a tangle of memories. Her strongest ones at this point are the ones of her childhood and when I visit, we go there often. We travel back down that road to the farm at Lead Hill, where Mom's chores included going to get the cows in the afternoon for milking. She and her dog Fido went past the orchard, through the cedar glade and with nothing more than a stick was able to guide the cows up to the barn so Grandpa could milk. Later on in retirement, that farm was home to she and Daddy. She talks about her parents and how Grandma loved to make pies and coconut cake, her favorite as a child. Just like when I was little and couldn't find the words, I now fill in the blanks for Mom. And when I'm not there, the dedicated nurses at Jamestown go down that path to Lead Hill with Mom.

9 comments:

  1. My mother was in a hospice care facility and my dad had hospice care at home. We were very blessed to have excellent caring people there for them. I am retired lab tech and have worked in hospitals and nursing homes where there were some that just thought their title made them God and we should treat them that way. You are right. You have to make sure you talk to the right person when dealing with care of a loved one.

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  2. My Mom has dementia/alzheimers also and is in an excellent facility. We are truly blessed to have the professionals we do to care for them.

    Wishing you a wonderful day,
    LuLu~*xoxo

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  3. My grandmother lived to be 101 and for the last few years needed to be in a care facitliy. We were blessed to have loving and caring workers there to care for her when we no longer could. xo

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  4. such a hard part to life. my mother went thru alzheimer's too and it was her childhood that held the strongest as well...

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  5. I've dealt with doctors and Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants. Personally, I prefer the ones that listen to the patient, whatever the title... but it isn't always the doctor, that does.

    Blessings to your Mom and Father-in-law!

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  6. I see the beat PA and I just lover her even more than the doctor! ;D

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  7. Seems there are all kinds, I have had great ones and now I have a ditz. Sigh.

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  8. What a blessing you have good caregivers for your mother.
    Nurse practictioner or Dr.? I'd be glad to have either. We are so short of doctors were I live that I have to go to walk in clinics for care.

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  9. As you know we are on this road. Dad talks about his work a lot. So glad you have good caregivers when you are not able to be there. Though, I am not thrilled to be going in this direction, your stories make me feel better about it. Thanks friend.

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