Yesterday Louise had two appointments..one with the surgeon, and the other with her primary care physician. The surgeon said she seemed to be some better. He doesn’t have a new scan so there is really no new information. He thinks that her vision trouble is not a neural issue, but in her eye itself. If her brain was causing the problem it would be the opposite eye not the one on the same side as her surgery. She is not satisfied with the eye doctor she has because he hasn’t been able to help. She talked about wanting a different eye doctor to see if another one could do more.
The doctor also said that the leaning she has been having periodically is not a seizure or a stroke. She can talk while it is happening. It doesn’t happen often…like maybe 2 or 3 times in all. She doesn’t have other symptoms that would point to either issue. In fact, he took her off her seizure medicine. Her dose was so low that they decided, since she hasn’t had any seizures that she could go off of it. Usually they take brain patients off by this time after treatment. They will continue to watch her closely and if the leanings get closer together or increase at all she will go back for further evaluations. She has another scan later this month, and he will look at it to see if the tumor is still stable. He doesn’t expect any changes because, to him, she is holding her own.
Her primary care doctor checked her blood sugar and it was in normal ranges. She adjusted some of her other medicines that she takes to help her sleep. Louise doesn’t seem to care too much anymore about the medicine. She says she cannot keep up with it all. I think she realizes that medicine is part of her life now. She trusts Ray to give her what she needs when she needs it. The doctor also scheduled her for an echocardiogram. This is because she had one last year and is supposed to have them yearly. Her brain has been taking precedence, but now the doctor is wanting to follow up on other regular check up things. The doctor feels she is doing much better.
I know we have seen a difference since Thanksgiving. Her attitude has continued to be positive more than negative. She is such a people person, and since her surgery, she has had to be more isolated while she has been healing. I think the time with family met some of her people/hospitality needs and perked her up. She is going to try to come to our Christmas play. She wants to put up some decorations around the house as well. Maybe the Christmas season is bringing hope with it.