April 6, 2015 

I didn’t sleep well last night. Valentino is slated for the groomer at 0800 and I was worried about getting him to do his business before the police cited us for not having a license. I completely forgot to do this, and there was a piece in the newspaper warning that fines would amount to $300 per dog. After Val barked at the first passing truck—not many pass this way; must have been the UPS man—I decided to get him up and out. We walked hurriedly around the block. I then planned to feed him as soon as we got back, even though it was an hour earlier than usual. While I was preparing his breakfast, I knocked off the refrigerator trim at the bottom. So I decided to wash it and do a little cleaning.

As I got the trim back on, mom called. She is still in great pain. It’s usually worse in the morning and it seemed pretty bad this morning. We have been giving her Tylenol for what the PA says is “arthritis.” I told Rob that I think too many PAs and MDs go into medicine to pontificate because they can’t do anything else. I used to have a great deal more respect for those in the medical profession than I do now. This is a function, of course, of hearing the most ridiculous diagnoses in the world! And I will grant you that diagnosing is difficult. (I’ve seen enough “House” and read enough medical articles to know at least this much!) At this stage of the game, I would prefer to hear an “I don’t know!” Consider Nancy’s plight. One doctor seemed to think Eric’s problem stemmed from some sort of osteomalacia of the brain, a kind of pre-Alzheimer’s. He noted areas of heavy plaque. No other physician mentioned this or commented on the MRI images that prompted this statement. But from what I have read, osteomalacia of the brain is associated with a mesenchymal tumor (often confused with meningioma) that would secrete fibroblast growth factor, which I assume could be assayed. But then what do I know, except what I read. (Trust me, I have sent articles to doctors!)

As for mom, she remains in terrible pain mostly in the morning when she is most stiff. I still think she might have pulled something. Problem is: where do I find someone capable of telling me that mom’s new problem is something more than a long-existing arthritic condition. I hate to see my mother cry, and she has been doing it regularly. After I drop Val off at the groomer and pick up the dog license and dig for his rabies tag, I will take mom to the ER. I have work to do today, but it will have to take a backseat to getting to the bottom of mom’s pain.