Margaret gets upset.

On Friday I took Margaret to see her cardiologist.  The appointment was scheduled for 11.30 am and I told Margaret to be ready to leave at 10.30 am.  When I got home from taking Louis on his early morning walk she was dressed, make up on and ready to go!  I managed to persuade her to lie down for a while but we were on our way at 10.00 am.  We had morning tea at the hospital before seeing Dr. J.

He carried out an ECG on Margaret and gave her a good physical examination.  He was not too pleased that Margaret was back on 120 mg of Frusimide a day but as she still had fluid swellings around her ankles and wrists said that it was a necessary evil.  He gave me a more detailed explanation of Margaret's heart attack and present condition.  While the attack was mild it had caused significant damage to the left ventricle.  The stress test showed that the present blood supply to the heart is reasonably good and providing she stays on the medication he has prescribed she is in no immediate danger.  She must have regular cholesterol tests from now on and her medication modified as necessary.  Whatever happens she is not likely to be well enough for invasive treatment due to the high incidence of "comorbidity" conditions.  So the heart condition joins the kidneys, adrenal glands and bowels as too hard to treat!

Over the weekend Margaret has become more and more upset.  I think that she is missing our daughter, Helen, my sister Sue and her friend K.  Fortunately Helen phoned on Saturday to see how the cardiologist's visit went and talked to Margaret for a long time.  Margaret has been getting upset if I leave her for any time over about 15 minutes.  I normally walk Louis while she is sleeping but shopping has to be done and she gets worried.

Last night she asked when she was seeing A., her GP.   Unthinkingly I said it was on Wednesday, the same day I get my monthly four hour respite break to attend my computer club.  She got very upset.  She was back to "that lady" who makes her lock up Louis and she wasn't having it.  She was going out and not coming back!  Finally the killer, she could come with me to the club!  She doesn't see that I need some respite.  It took a couple of hours for her to calm down and I finally got her to bet at 11.00 pm

Today she is calm for which I am truly thankful.

Note, none of Margaret's carers who look after her during my respite breaks have ever ask for Louis to be locked away.  Normally I put him on his lead when they arrive as he gets very exited but he is released in a few minute when he settles down.  The last couple of times it has been T looking after Margaret and she has four dogs ranging from a Bull Mastiff to a Pug so Louis is OK.