It looks like one simple answer to my dad's increased hallucinations is that he hasn't been getting his antipsychotic meds filled since summer of 2022. (Yikes!) So that's been refilled.

I can see where that ball got completely dropped, because I assumed that Dad always gets refills on his meds when they run out, but I think this one ran out of refills and the pharmacy didn't contact the provider to authorize a refill. Or it's possible that the pharmacy did contact the provider, and the provider said that Dad needed to come in for a checkup before they would refill the meds, and Dad never did it. And I really haven't kept track of his medical shit because I haven't been willing to take on that responsibility. (He got pretty salty at me during the appointment today when the nurse practitioner asked him what meds he's taking and he pointed at me and said "She knows," and I said "No, I don't." He snapped "Well, why the hell not? You're supposed to remember that stuff for me!" No, sir. No I am not. Write. It. Down.)

At this point, all we know is that the ball got dropped, and the unfortunate upshot to being off his antipsychotic meds is hallucinations and paranoia. So I'm going to set up access to his Kroger pharmacy account so that I can keep an eye on what he's picking up every month. (Picking the meds up isn't a guarantee that he'll take the meds, of course, but he does actually have a pretty good history of taking what he's been prescribed, as long as he actually has it in his house.)

The nurse practitioner agreed that otherwise he does seem more or less mentally sound, with some common age-related memory deficits popping up. But there doesn't seem to be any other reason (disease, brain tumor, etc) for the hallucinations, so hopefully it's just a meds issue, and getting back on them will fix this shit.

My reward for sitting through that appointment was a tasty bean burrito.

Pix, continued sympathy for you and yours. It sucks so much. Tep, I hope your dad's brain goes back to a better space with the meds.

[Redacted primal scream about family health, physical and mental from the adjacent boat to your boats.]

Unrelated, but at what point did Mike Mills turn into Hec? [link]

Or it's possible that the pharmacy did contact the provider, and the provider said that Dad needed to come in for a checkup before they would refill the meds, and Dad never did it. And I really haven't kept track of his medical shit because I haven't been willing to take on that responsibility.

Once again my deep gratitude that my dad was VA eligible. One of the many aspects of care that they are very, very good at. We should all be so lucky.

I know that all of this elder care stuff is looming for me and my husband. Like, if it comes to the point that one or both of my parents need to move out of their house, where most of the living space is upstairs, are they going to refuse to do that? My mother went through it with her mother, and I know she learned some lessons from that, but it's easy to tell yourself you won't be that stubborn and not so easy to do it.

Unrelated, but at what point did Mike Mills turn into Hec? [link]

Heh! My hair's not that long currently but probably will be by summer's end. I wish I could sing his high harmonies and play bass as well.

Tep, I could be spitballing but I suspect that maybe, just maybe, there's a correlation between NOT taking Anti-Psychotic medicine and HAVING hallucinations. Maybe.

That has to be a huge relief though.

EM has been over this morning helping me catch up on papework and folding clothes and whatnot.

As much as I like Xmas lights around I'm getting itchy to Begin The Year In Earnest, so tree will be de-ornamented on Sunday night and taken down Monday morning while Matilda's at school.

I'm wishing all the sick people were getting well.

Oh! I need to poll the populace, as we are now in 2024 and I need to actively plan Jacqueline's memorial.

Originally I had just planned to do it on May 15th - our 20th wedding anniversary. But that's on a Wednesday, and I'm thinking I should just push it to that weekend.

Some folks have mentioned their intent to fly in for her memorial, it seems like Saturday (May 18th) would be the optimal date to accommodate travelers. Maybe people coming in on Thurs or Fri for an informal Buffista F2F kinda thing.

Thoughts?

I will be there no matter what.

[Redacted primal scream about family health, physical and mental from the adjacent boat to your boats.]

My primal scream joins yours in a glorious cacophony.

Tep, I could be spitballing but I suspect that maybe, just maybe, there's a correlation between NOT taking Anti-Psychotic medicine and HAVING hallucinations. Maybe.

Whaaaaaat.

That has to be a huge relief though.

It is a relief, but a provisional relief, to be revised after 2-3 weeks of the meds back in his system. But I'm choosing to be optimistic and believe that since the meds worked before, they'll work again.

Some folks have mentioned their intent to fly in for her memorial, it seems like Saturday (May 18th) would be the optimal date to accommodate travelers. Maybe people coming in on Thurs or Fri for an informal Buffista F2F kinda thing.

Tim's niece is getting married in May, in a huge 3-day Indian wedding extravaganza. I'm 95% sure it's happening Memorial Day weekend, so assuming that's correct, I could make it out for the memorial.

Blocking that week.

I don’t know how fast acting psychotics are compared to say antidepressants, but hopefully you see some impact soon and have a better sense if anything else is going on.

*Anti-psychotics, that is. Though I suppose I don’t really know how fast acting psychotics are either. Pretty quick I imagine, though quick at what I don’t know.