[Mari]

Kay,

One thing that would work for me is to make a tally mark on a calendar
or piece of paper that I taped to the fridge or notebook or white board.
Twenty Tally T-Shirt | Spreadshirt

For example if I already made a check mark for a.m. meds I would know that
I took my meds.


A friend of mine had a system of turning the pill bottles upside down after
she took them.

Or a fridge magnet that one could turn upside down or move from the right to
the left side of the refrigerator.


Also, consider a phone app:
Medisafe Meds & Pill Reminder - Android Apps on Google Play

You already have figured out that color and space would help.
I am simply sending these ideas your way in case they are helpful.


M

[OhKay]

I am going to be SO ****ING BUSY, I really could have done without the accidental OD yesterday... I feel okay today though. I usually take my pills around 7am, but I'm waiting until around 11am to take them today just to be safe.

I was supposed to go grocery shopping, but I was so ****ed up, there was no way I could do it yesterday, so I will have to do that today.
My appointment with the nephrologist isn't until 3pm tomorrow, so I will do the laundry earlier in the day.
That way, I will have both of my nasty errands out of the way early in the week and can make the most off my down time later, when I'm grouchy and tired from running around.

I thought I would have my blood drawn while I was out today, but since I took so much medication yesterday, I think that's a very bad idea. I may even wait until Wednesday to see if the nephrologist orders blood work, too. I don't want to admit that this is like at least the 5th-or-so time I've done this.

I think just splitting the pills up and putting them in two different places should do. I'll keep my am pills in the coffee table draw, and put my pm pills in one of the bathroom drawers. I think I would actually forget to perform any added security measures.

[OhKay]

I just added up my copays for the upcoming week: $120
I hope my cough doesn't get worse, and I don't have to spend another $20 to see my PCP

[mymorgy]

how much can you take?
love
bobby

[bizi]

We have met our deductible for the year.
So now we pay 20% of the bills.
GP, PT and maybe new PDOC.
and I am going to see an ophthalmologist, see if his visit is covered.
I have not seen an eye doctor in many years.

I hope you get done the things that you have to get done with out having any difficulties, traffic, no falls, or complications.
(((((HUGS))))
bizi

[OhKay]

Originally Posted by mymorgy

how much can you take?
love
bobby

How much of what?

[OhKay]

I just rescheduled my Friday pdoc appointment to next Friday at 7:20am. I'm not too worried about the time, as I'm up very early every morning anyway...

My schedule for this week was just TOO MUCH. Now I'll have 3 appointments each week vs. 4 this week, not including getting my fingers and toes done on Wednesday. Now I will have Friday completely to myself.

I looked up a couple of significant dates:
I completely discontinued lithium on 8/30
I had the kidney ultrasound on 10/6

What that means I don't know.

[mymorgy]

all the things you have to go through
love
bobby

[bizi]

I forget what the results from the kidney ultrasound were and why they were taken in the first place?????

you have so much to keep straight....
heavy sigh
bizi

[OhKay]

I have urinary retention (difficulty emptying the bladder) from the MS and have to catheterize. Sometimes urinary retention causes damage to the bladder, kidneys and ureters, and sometimes catheterization can damage the bladder, so that's why they did the ultrasound.

I have calcium deposits in my kidneys. It's different from kidney stones. It's called nephrocalcinosis, caused by high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia)... I'm 99.99% sure mine is caused by long-term lithium use, which is fairly common.
It's linked to a condition called hyperparathyroidism (they are 4 small glands on your thyroid that control the levels of calcium and potassium in your blood stream).
My thyroid is already permanently fried from lithium.

Sometimes the hyperparathyroidism can be cured and the calcium deposits in the kidneys go away. And sometimes kidney function returns to normal. That's what I'm hoping for (fingers crossed).

---------

I'm very, very nervous about the nephrologist appointment today. I know I will likely have to have more tests, and won't get all the answers I want today, but I will get more information, so that will be great... because I'm scared s**tless right now and very anxious.

I woke up around 6am, and the appointment isn't until 3pm, so that's a long time to wait. Doing the laundry will be a surprisingly good distraction, but it will only eat up about 2 1/2 hours including the travel. I suppose I will clean the rest of the time, but I already cleaned the whole bathroom yesterday...

-----

I bought the new pill cases yesterday. They are completely different in size, shape, and color, so there is no mistaking them. My am pills are in the drawer in the coffee table, and my night pills are in a drawer in the bathroom. I am hoping, and think, that will be enough to prevent future med errors. I would really have to go out of my way to get my night pills, and that case locks, as another security feature.