Ask Nurse Kelly

      

By Kelly Katherine Bischoff BSRN

Dear Nurse Kelly, I'm a sophomore in college who still lives with my parents. Part of the reason I still live at home instead of the dorms is because my mother has Lymes disease. My Father's work takes him out of town a lot so I do most of the care giving. The problem is, my mother has become increasingly forgetful, she's angry most of the time and she sleeps for days at a time. I am worried that her Lymes is getting worse but she won't go to the Doctor. I recently found out she has stopped taking her medication. I'm not sure what to do because she gets furious at me if I try to take her to the hospital. Do you have any advice about what I can do? Thank-you, Kim Dear Kim, Lyme disease is becoming more common. It is an infectious disease caused by bacteria transmitted to people by a tick bite. These ticks can be from deer, mice, or even house pets. It is vitally important that if someone gets bit by a tick and a red ring or red puffiness appears they go to the emergency room as soon as possible for treatment. In your mother's case, you didn't say how long she's had the disease but if she's been on medication it sounds like she's had it for awhile. If she's having memory loss, sleeps a lot and has bursts of anger it tells me she needs to seek out medical help now. Especially if she hasn't been taking her medication. What you can do is call your Father, tell him the seriousness of the situation, call a grandparent, any family member. You can also call friends of your mothers'. The longer she waits to get treatment, the more severe her symptoms can become. Most people don't realize the seriousness of Lyme disease. They have to be educated. Find out all you can about it and give the information to your family. I admire you so much for your strength and courage in caring for your mother. But you need to be focused on college. Share what you are going through with your relatives, your mother's friends, and let more people share in helping your mother get better. She may not be thinking clearly and she may resist getting help but with the aid of other people who love and care about her, she will get the help she needs. Suggested reading: "The Lyme Disease Solution" by Kenneth B. Singleton M.D. Another good book is, "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. Dear Nurse Kelly, My Grandfather died recently and I'm having a hard time getting over his death. We were very close but I wasn't at the hospital when he died. I want him to know how much I loved him. Emma G. Dear Emma, it is always hard to lose someone you love. I believe that death is a new beginning. Your love for your Grandfather and his love for you will never die. Love lasts forever. Love is unbreakable. It could help if you do a ritual to honor your Grandfather. You could find a tray to put some photos of him on it along with some items he liked. You can put flowers on the tray from time to time and write a special poem about him that you can place on the tray. You can also light a white candle in his honor and say a prayer for him. If you are unable to have a lighted candle, you can get a battery operated candle and use that. When we honor our loved ones who have passed it is easier to heal from sadness and step into knowing that they are now in a higher place. Suggested Reading: "Angel Catcher" A Journal of Loss and Remembrance by Kathy Eldon and Amy Eldon Turtletaub I'd also encourage you and a parent to obtain a reading from a medium or psychic who specializes in connecting with the departed, there are many qualified mediums on www.starzpsychics.com Kelly Katherine Bischoff is a published writer and Registered Nurse. She lives in San Francisco, California.